A proposal discussed at Westminster suggests expanding blanket 20mph limits because it could save money on signs and administration. Sensible safety measure, or a triumph of bureaucracy over common sense?

Every now and then a story emerges from the corridors of Westminster that makes you stop, put down your tea, rub your eyes and double-check that you haven’t accidentally wandered onto a parody website. This was one of those moments. According to evidence submitted to the House of Commons Transport Committee by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, better known as PACTS, one argument for introducing more blanket 20mph speed limits is that doing so could reduce the need for additional signs, consultations, traffic orders and all the associated administrative clutter that accompanies modern transport policy. In other words, if I’ve understood this correctly, one of the reasons millions of motorists could find themselves travelling more slowly is because road signs are apparently becoming a bit expensive.