so sad, and so short sighted its pathetic. let's all use up more petrol, as fast as possible!! and lets all generate more and more carbon, also as fast as possible! this is progress folks? what are we doing? think about what you do each and every day, are you acting on behalf of our future, or are you acting on what's easiest and most convienent for YOU right now? clock is ticking, ticking

By Bill | December 1, 2011 10:06 AM

"Meanwhile, RTL news reports the minister and eight provincial councils have agreed to spend €1bn on a concerted plan to reduce traffic jams by 20%."
Why? Increased traffic jams will improve revenue through higher fuel usage/petrol taxes....same logic??

By AC | December 1, 2011 11:02 AM

Revenue is everything these days.

By Puck | December 1, 2011 3:23 PM

Doesn't fuel consumption decrease as speed and gear shifts increase? It's when you're in a traffic jam when you consume the most fuel. Maintaining a higher speed with only maximize an automobile's fuel efficiency.

By Bob | December 1, 2011 3:34 PM

I think people here are being too negative. Netherlands have some of the best highways in the World. Cars are safer than they have ever been. It is due time to raise the speed limits.

I don't think they would have increased the limit only for revenue because it will have some extra expenses. Let's not be paranoid for once?

By Andre L. | December 1, 2011 3:54 PM

Great to see that they have the safely of the motorists as their prime objective. Even sadder that they actually admit this is the reason for increasing the speed limit (and not because the Dutch are good motorists and have "earned" it)

By Michael K | December 1, 2011 4:09 PM

From the way the government and civil engineers have been operating, with limited road access, more investment in trein services, etc. and poor highway repair stats, I assumed the "grand design" was to discourage personal auto use in favor of public transport. Ka-ching! It always comes down to money.

By Quince | December 1, 2011 4:35 PM

Well, here in Southern California, the concerns are a little different. I do hope more electric car options become available, here and everywhere, as well as better ways to produce electricity. If only that would be higher on the political agenda.

By MK | December 1, 2011 6:12 PM

If that's the reason for this change in legislation, why not ban cars with engine capacity inferior to 3000cc? And at the same time you might save lives.....

By Marco Marboni | December 1, 2011 9:17 PM

These expected raise will not happen if all drivers realize that driving at say 100 kms per hour on a 250 km journeyvwill get you there just a maximum of about 10 minutes later but you would have saved something between 5 to 10 litres of fuel (Euro 95) with its positive incidental effects on your wallet.

By Skipper | December 1, 2011 9:21 PM

Bob:
Stop start driving in traffic is of course very inefficient, with the absolute worse efficiency being when you are stationary.
Acceleration and braking are also very inefficient. A good general rule is, in very broad terms, the most efficient speed is the lowest speed at which you can travel in the top gear. Faster than this, efficiency drops again rapidly as revs and wind resistance increase.
So cruising at about 90km/h is pretty efficient for most cars and 130 much less so, especially if you are not maintaining a constant speed.

By Craig | December 2, 2011 12:10 PM

Excellent idea.Travel faster equals more fuel use, equals more tax to the State,equals more fossil fuel being burned,equals more carbon dioxide into the environment and that equals higher sea levels such as with just 8% more ice melt around the planet equals a sea level rise of between 5 and 8 metres...What a high standard of politician you have there in the Netherlands...certainly thinking ahead...!

By mario | December 2, 2011 5:48 PM

Whomever complained about Dutch highway standards of maintenance probably never drove in the country. The network of autosnelwegen has some problems of capacity, but the quality of pavement, signaling and traffic management is top-notch, among the best in the World.

Moreover, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria all have 130km/h blank speed limits, Germany has none in 60% of its network, and it is not like there is carnage on the road there.

Moreover, cars, not public transport, covers 71% of all passenger-km trips in Netherlands.

By Andre L. | December 2, 2011 5:53 PM

Come to Australia and see the speed limits we have to put up with.40,50,60,80,90,110 all in maybe 2 km.And bad roads.

By John Zawiolkowski | December 3, 2011 6:04 AM

Oh wonderful, more high-speed crashes. Don't they know that the faster you drive your auto the harder it is to control it in an emergency maneuver? This new rule is pure stupidity. Why not also advise the Dutch people to buy those big gas-guzzling Hummers with the V8 engines? Sometimes I believe the Dutch, and the rest of Europe, is following in the idiotic footsteps of the U.S.

By Carax | December 3, 2011 8:44 AM

I drive on the A4 between Amsterdam and Rijswijk daily, Maybe the extra revenue generated through more fuel taxes will help keep the Ambulance services going. Driving on the A4 is dangerous enough with a 120kph limit. If I have observed only 3 "ARRRGGH" moments caused by 'near misses', I consider that a good journey. Given the number of accidents that occur, I find the speed limit raise hard to understand. One final point: by my work is a number of driving instruction companies - the number of times I see learners (WITH their instructors) drive through red traffic lights is frankly disturbing!

By Andy | December 4, 2011 8:39 AM

Even in Britain, I can't imagine how we could spend €130m to change the signs!

By English Pensioner | December 4, 2011 1:52 PM

The €130 million budget is NOT for changing signs. That is a misquote on the original newspaper translated here. It is the whole budget for the increased limit, which includes as it most expensive provision (€ 92 millions) new noise barriers.

By Andre L. | December 5, 2011 9:34 AM

Most all European countries already have 130kmh motorway speed limit and their motorway infrastructure is as good as the Dutch or worse, especially in Eastern Europe. These opposing the limit increase either don't drive or need more high speed driving training to feel comfortable.

By AnotherExpat | December 6, 2011 1:19 PM

Taxes up C02 emissions also up, not very green of Holland is it? Makes a nonsense of the speed restricted roads between Rotterdam and Amsterdam standing at 100 kph to reduce emissions!

By AndyT | December 6, 2011 5:08 PM