The Road Safety Foundation (RSF) has claimed that England’s road network isn’t safe enough for an 80mph limit, due to lack of crash barriers and poor road maintenance. According to a story in The Telegraph, the lack of crash barriers is the main reason that an 80mph is deemed unsafe by the road safety charity.

Having inspected all 4,350 miles on English motorway, the RSF found that only half had barriers capable of providing adequate crash protection. In some cases that was because existing barriers hadn’t been repaired properly, or at all.Trials are due to take place later this year, during which certain stretches of motorway will have their speed limit raised at certain times.

“Some stretches of motorway are more suitable for 80mph than others. If you don’t have adequate central reservation barriers, a hard shoulder and variable speed limit message signs then the road is not safe for 80mph,” said AA president Edmund King in The Telegraph.

It was also found that some motorways have trees planted too close to them, increasing the risk of serious injury if a car veers off the road at high speed.

Click here to read a more detailed version of story on The Huffington Post.