Ray Pantling, owner of Tyres Direct in Bletchley, believes that councils too readily reduce speed limits on roads to save money, rather than lives…

There is a belief in the tyre industry that some councils reduce speed limits in certain areas to save money on repairing roads.

Roads with speed limits of 60mph and 70mph have to be regularly resurfaced. But roads with lower speed limits are not repaired as regularly, which means they are far more likely to be littered with potholes.

Many of the tyres I examine that have been returned with sidewall damage are caused in very low 20mph to 30mph speed restriction areas, simply for the reason we have more potholes in roads with lower speed limits.

So do councils really reduce all speed limits for safety reasons, or is it sometimes just to save money on road repairs?

I’m of the opinion we are conned at times by the excuse it saves lives and reduces accidents.

Bath and North East Somerset Council brought in 13 new 20mph speed zones but it actually led to an increase in the number of people killed or injured in seven of those areas.

Damage to tyres relating to poor road surfaces increased dramatically there too.

Speed limits were first introduced in 1965 and, since then, cars, tyres and brakes have all improved. So why are speed limits being reduced when, without question, vehicles are being improved all the time?

This feature was published in the June 2019 issue of Celebrate:MK lifestyle magazine. Read the full magazine above or by clicking on this link.