The government said on Thursday it was looking to raise the speed limit on
the country’s motorways to 80 mph and that it intended to bring in the
measure in 2013 if it got the backing of the public and campaigners.
英国政府周四表示，正研拟将公路速限提高到每小时80英里，如果获得公众与活动
者支持，希望在2013年实施这项措施。
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said they would launch a consultation
later this year on whether to raise the limit from the current 70 mph level
. "Now it is time to put Britain back in the fast lane of global economies
and look again at the motorway speed limit which is nearly 50 years old，
and out of date thanks to huge advances in safety and motoring technology，"
Hammond said.
英国运输大臣哈蒙德表示，他们将在今年稍晚，就是否调高现行每小时70英里的速
限展开谘询。哈蒙德说：「是时候让英国重返全球经济快轨，重新审视已近50年历史、
且因安全与汽车科技大幅进展而不合时宜的速限了。」
"Increasing the motorway speed limit to 80 mph would generate economic
benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times. So
we will consult later this year on raising the limit to get Britain moving."
哈蒙德指出：「提高速限至每小时80英里可缩短旅程时间，进而产生数亿英镑的经
济效益。因此今年稍晚我们就提高速限展开研议，好让英国动起来。」
Initial work by the Department of Transport indicated that raising the
limit to 80 mph provided the best balance between cost and benefits， and
would bring it into line with many other EU countries.
运输部的初步报告指出，提高速限到80英里，最能平衡成本效益，也能跟上其他许
多欧盟国家。
