A new 80mph limit on Britain’s motorways?

All told, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond (above, no relation) has had a busy first year in the job.

One his first acts in government was to take a pneumatic drill to the M4 bus-lane, which as you'll have seen on TV made Jeremy very happy. Then he declared there would be no more Whitehall cash for speed cameras, which as you'll have seen on TV made the entire Top Gear studio very happy.

Now he's revealed that the coalition government is consulting on plans to raise the speed limit on Britain's motorways to 80mph in 2013.

The current 70mph limit was introduced in 1965, and as the Transport Secretary points out, it's now looking rather out of date due to the "huge advances in safety and motoring technology".

"Cars are much safer, they have more sophisticated equipment now than they did 40 or so years ago. They are capable of driving safely at higher speeds. There are enormous economic benefits to be had by increasing the speed limit and shortening journey times.

"And the current limit has lost its legitimacy. We all know that many, many motorists who are otherwise law-abiding citizens routinely ignore the 70 miles per hour limit."

Mr Hammond also said he not think the rise would have "a significant impact on safety".

It's not a universally popular proposal. David Williams, the CEO of motoring assist company GEM, is one dissenting voice, saying: "I simply cannot understand this. From a road safety perspective we believe it would be a disaster.

"There are very obvious road safety implications including drivers having less time to react at higher speeds. Given the road safety record is currently heading in the wrong direction, this alone is a good enough reason not to raise the limit.

"Then there's the environmental aspect. An increase in speed will have a huge influence on our fuel consumption and emissions.

"To say an increase will improve the economy is frankly ridiculous - unless of course they are looking at the duty they will receive in revenue from the increased use of fuel? It seems this move is being made to deflect the real issues that cause delays in journeys such as road works and potholes."

So where do you sit on the debate, TopGear.commers? A long-needed acknowledgment of modern motoring technology, or a recipe for disaster?