Motorists reminded of M54 lower speed limit

Drivers on the M54 in Staffordshire are being urged to stick to the 50mph limit to protect the safety of road users and workers building a new junction there.

With holiday traffic increasing, Staffordshire County Council is urging people to stick to the lowered speed limit and reminding them that speed cameras are in operation.

Since enforcement started in May, nearly 5,200 vehicles have been caught breaking the 50mph speed limit. The number of fixed penalties issued increases at the weekend, suggesting that commuters are not the main culprits.

Average speed cameras have been installed along the short stretch of the motorway close to junction 2 and the i54 South Staffordshire development where Jaguar Land Rover is currently building a £500m engine manufacturing facility on the site, which will bring with it around 1,400 jobs.

Junction works will provide access to i54 South Staffordshire, a partnership between Staffordshire County Council, South Staffordshire Council and Wolverhampton City Council to bring jobs and growth to the area.

Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for economy and infrastructure Mark Winnington said: “Throughout the summer holiday period we expect more traffic on the M54 as people holiday in Wales from the Midlands.

“The 50mph limit is in place to protect the safety of people working at the site, but also to protect motorists along a stretch of the motorway where the lanes have been narrowed. Even when the workforce isn’t visible on the roadside, it is still essential that motorists stick to the speed limit to ensure they aren’t endangering themselves and other motorists. Driving at 50mph through the works adds on a mere 40 seconds to journey times, so breaking the speed limit and endangering people’s lives really isn’t worth it.

“Of course the vast majority of people using the M54 are driving responsibly and sticking to the speed limit, but the number of people being issued fixed penalty notices is still far too high. Any money collected from fines goes straight to central government, so it is not in our interest to issue them. Our focus is the safety of motorists and workers building the new junction.

“The construction work is being carried out as quickly as possible and this junction has helped to make i54 South Staffordshire a prime location for leading global businesses. The new motorway junction is an essential factor in helping to create hundreds of jobs in the region, and we believe the short delays caused by the works are far outweighed by long-term benefits of jobs and economic growth for our area.”