Elisabeth Borne says no to 110 km/h speed-limited highways

Pedagogy rather than coercion: the government clarifies its position on motorway speed limits.

The maximum authorized speed on motorways will not be reduced, at least not in the short term. During an interview on BMF TV’s set, Elisabeth Borne indeed stated that her government had no plans for such a measure. A few months ago, the political leader had expressed support “personally” for a 110 km/h limit on highways.

Carefully emphasizing the ecological benefits of reducing speed, Elisabeth Borne indicated that a restrictive measure was not the right option. Such a measure could indeed penalize those who “need to travel on motorways and may face time constraints.”

“I think it’s important to inform about the savings that can be achieved by driving slower, about the potential benefits for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but we cannot operate solely through bans”, declared the Prime Minister.

A debate closed… for now

The debate over speed limits has raged for months. Recently, several personalities signed an open letter urging the French to drive at 110 km/h on motorways. “This initiative is not a petition; it is based on voluntary participation, and we are not asking the State to legislate”, the signatories clarified in the preamble.

Beyond ecological concerns, advocates of the 110 km/h limit also promise a reduction in road fatalities. This argument is strongly refuted by the Association 40 Million Drivers, which believes that lowering the motorway limit to 110 km/h would encourage drivers to take secondary roads, which are far more accident-prone.

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