News that the Government is having second thoughts about introducing trials of 80mph motorway speed limits is frustrating for millions of motorists. The law needs to catch up with reality – not get left behind in the slow lane.

When’s the last time you drove on a motorway? Did you notice everybody sticking rigorously to the 70mph limit? Thought not. Today’s M-way limits were applied as a temporary measure during the fuel crisis of the 1970s and were not designed for modern cars with all their safety paraphernalia.

Transport minister Stephen Hammond told Auto Express magazine earlier this month that 80mph motorway limits were likely to be trialled in the next year. “We are thinking about it,” he said. “We are thinking about how we could trial it rather than go to a consultation… We are still working on that and I suspect we are going to be able to say something in the autumn.”

But it emerged today that his boss, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin, was opposed to the idea. He has indicated that plans for 80mph trials on UK motorways have been dropped, telling The Times newspaper: “That’s not a priority, to be absolutely honest,” he said. “You would have to do trials in certain areas so it’s not something that’s a high priority.”

Sounds like political infighting is overtaking common sense. After all, when a law is more ignored than respected, it becomes meaningless.

We’d wager that more motorists would respect speed limits if they were set sensibly. After all, very few drivers object if they are told to slow down to 20mph outside schools. But the flipside is that drivers should be allowed to go slightly faster on motorways, in line with our continental neighbours.

If you’re heading to France or Germany on holiday, you’ll be allowed to drive at 130kmh (81mph) on motorways – or as fast as you like on derestricted sections of the autobahn.

I wouldn’t for a moment support the removal of all limits on UK roads. But a small correction on less congested sections of motorway seems like a good idea.

The technology already exists to do this safely: brakes and safety systems on cars are already vastly better than a decade ago, let alone 30 years ago when the 70mph limit was set. And with variable speed limits and electronic message boards, motorways can be programmed to allow a higher limit at quieter times of day in good weather conditions.

The law needs to adapt to the reality of day-to-day driving.