Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to trial the use of variable temporary speed limits on sections of motorways involving roadworks to take account of the different road conditions at off peak times in order to reduce delays.

Highways England has been tasked with improving and operating the Strategic Road Network. They are currently working on a number of projects looking at how the management of road works can be changed to deliver improvements for road users.

The varying of temporary speed limits in road works is currently not possible under existing legislation. However, Highways England is working closely with the Department for Transport to review the Motorway Regulations with the aim of updating them. One of the changes being considered would open the way for variable temporary speed limits in road works. Signing technology would also have to be developed and evaluated, particularly where gantries are not installed on certain motorway sections.