‘Stupid’ - what Liverpool thinks of Liz Truss’ plan to scrap speed limits as Tory leadership race decided

She is ‘prepared to look’ at scrapping 70mph speed limits on motorways.
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Liz Truss has been announced as the new Prime Minister, as the Tory leadership contest comes to an end.

She will become Prime Minister tomorrow, when she visits the Queen.

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Ms Truss and her apponent, Rishi Sunak, spent the summer attending events and discussing policy ideas.

Controversially, Truss said ‘we need to be prepared to look at’ motorway speed limits, suggesting unrestricted speed limits on some motorways, similar to Germany’s autobahn approach.

LiverpoolWorld asked Liverpool residents what they thought about the idea.

What did residents say?

We asked the question: ‘Liz Truss is ‘prepared to look’ at scrapping 70mph speed limits on motorways if she becomes the next PM. What do you think of this?’ and hoards of residents responded.

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Hilda Cowan said: “They are bad enough now if there was no speed limits I would not be travelling on them.”

Currently, the speed limit for motorways is 70mph and 60mph on single carriageways.

James May said: “If you have ever been unfortunate enough to have been in a multiple car crash on the motorway you will know how stupid this idea is.”

Motorways currently have a 70mph speed limit. Image: Ben Stansall/AFP via GettyMotorways currently have a 70mph speed limit. Image: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty
Motorways currently have a 70mph speed limit. Image: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty

Michael Waters passionately agreed, sarcastically adding: “Yippee! - at last!! Freedom to go as fast as I can, no more police chases, no more restrictions on killing other road users, cyclists can now use the motorways and can go faster - all these wonderful things from future leaders of the lunatic asylum called Westminster - starve us long enough, and new legislation will not be needed no matter how good it is!”

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Chris Keegan joked:“Absolutely agree. Having been established in 1964 it should be kept in line with inflation and therefore should now rise to 1331mph.”

Betty Riverol said: “Imagine trying to get on the motorway from the slip roads if cars are going 90 miles an hour. Just ridiculous.”

Smart motorways

Liz Truss also said she believed that the ‘smart motorways experiment hasn’t worked’ and many residents agreed.

A smart motorway is a section of motorway that employs traffic management techniques including variable speed limits and occasionally hard shoulder running to help with the flow of vehicles.

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Dave Norbury said: “Stay at 70 and stop building smart motorways don’t feel as safe driving on them.”

Alan Taylor added: “Get rid of SMART and retain 70 mph. Save lives.”

Conservative Government impact on Liverpool

Truss is the fourth consecutive Tory Prime Minister, since 2015, after Boris Johnson was forced to resign in July.

The UK has faced austerity, a cost-of-living crisis and multiple scandals relating to the Government’s handling of Covid-19 - including Tory MPs breaking restrictions.

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The latest Index of Multiple Deprivation report shows Liverpool as the third most deprived area, out of 317 English local authorities.

This means that areas like Liverpool have been more deeply affected by the cost-of-living crisis, as an area already facing poverty and the fifth lowest wages in England.

Liz Truss has said she will be tackling the crisis, however, she has not outlined any specific plans.

The Government will also have effective full control of Liverpool City Council after taking the decision to step in following the publication of a second commissioners’ report into the local authority in August.

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The report by The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, recommended that the Government took over all financial, governance and recruitment power held by LCC.

The council has been under close scrutiny from commissioners since the first damning report was published last year.