Ministers and motorists seem to agree in increasing motorways speed limit to 80mph from the current 70mph, but would that be a safe move to make?

The Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM) has found in a recent survey than more  than 70 per cent of drivers and riders think that the UK motorway speed limit should be increased by at least 10mph.

Over the 2,000 drivers included in the poll, 60% said they would be more likely to stick to the proposed new limit than they are to the current. An the same percentage admitted  to travelling above 70mph when traffic is free-flowing and uncongested, with 20 per cent of those travelling at 80mph or even faster.

A different study, this one made by the Department for Transport, shows similar figures, with over half of cars breaking the 70mph limit and a 16% travelling at 80mph or faster.

According to the Daily Mail, also MPs are planning to introduce a law to increase the limit to 80mph in motorways before going on leave in July. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond had suggested  that shortening journey times for people travelling at quieter times is a good idea.

The idea seems to have been taken cautiously by some. Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: "Even though motorways are the safest roads, increasing the motorway speed limit is a controversial subject. This is why we want to see a trial to test its impact on road safety, fuel consumption and driver behaviour.

"A new 80 miles per hour limit would need to be properly enforced to make sure that it does not become an excuse to drive at 90."

The limit of 70mph was introduced 50 years ago as an experimental measure with the M1, Britain's first motorway, and it has been kept until today, even though it has been claimed than England has some of the safest roads in Europe.

Many countries in the continent are above the British limit, with France and Italy having a maximum limit of 81mph and Spain and Portugal of 75mph. The extreme example would be Germany, where parts of its autobahn network are unrestricted, with no speed limit at all.