Yeah and they can have even more accidents then because they can't drive well at 120 kph so it will be carniage out there in 2012... oh well one way to help control the expanding population I guess.

Yippee! now we can all drive the same speed as we usually do but LEGALLY! all problems solved.

Next step should be increasing speed in urban roads that don't have houses or business with direct access to 70km/h instead of 50km/h.

very bad for the environment - but hey, who really cares anymore right? let's use up the last bits of nature's goodness as fast and efficiently as possible. too late to care for the environment now, whats coming is coming.

Why wait until September 2012??

Safety is not the only consideration when thinking about speed limits. Most countries are lowering speed limits because of environmental reasons. Noise and air pollution, and fuel consumption. Cars are more efficient at lower speeds and so also reduces the nations reliance on foreign oil. You need to weigh up the benefits of everyone saving a few minutes against the increase in pollution.

of course, now people will attempt to drive at 150 kph, this is simply human nature. always just a little more, a little more - this will be written on the gravestone of mankind. they always just wanted a little more, a little more - until everything was gone.

Seriously, it was about time to end this nonsense. Well done minister.

@PhysicsMan: what you say is just prejudice. The Netherlands is actually one of the safest countries in Europe with least accidents.

*This is possible because of improvements in air quality* ??

It would be extremely beneficial to all life living in densely populated areas, if only public transport, taxis & vehicles busy with deliveries were allowed, and not private cars.
Public transport frequency should be then improved, not cut!

This would reduce pollution and help avoid traffic queues, accidents, and improve health thus a decline in bronchial disorders, but when, this year next year, sometimes, never??

@Craig: actually, most European countries are raising, not lowering speed limits. In Poland, now the highway limit is 140. Italy made provision for 150 limits in some new roads. And Germany has no limit in roughly 60% of their highway network - no news of carnage on the Autobahnen.

@The visitor: cars are essential for modern life, and no public transport scheme could take us as far, frequent and fast as we want. Imagine waiting for the bus every single time you want to go somewhere next city.

The best way to set speed limits is according to the 85th percentile speed or just leave people alone. Contrary to writers assertions here, most people do not want to waste gas nor kill themselves on motorways. The only real danger people pose to themselves is when they enter the voting booth to vote for these hyenas.

@Andre L/Highway Lobby: Cars are not ALWAYS essential to modern life. I don't need to imagine waiting for a bus, a train, or a Metro because I do it every single day of my life and I'm doing just fine. In the long-term something needs to be done to relieve congestion and reduce travel times while ensuring a maxim of accessibility. -Endlessly adding more and more lanes of highways and completely transforming our towns and cities to resemble sprawling messes like Detroit, Houston, or Phoenix is absolutely not the answer. Good urbanism and public transit should be a much larger part of the equation.

This will be a good move that should improve safety, not reduce it. Posting limits at the 85th percentile speed usually produces the highest safety. Jim Walker, National Motorists Association, www.motorists.org, Ann Arbor, Michigan