UK transport trade body the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has called for a greater and continual investment in road infrastructure and a better approach to speed limits to enhance road safety.

The call follows the Road Safety Foundation (RSF)’s recent revelation that two-thirds of England’s single carriageway trunk roads score poorly on international safety standards.

Head of Road Traffic Management Malcolm Bingham said RSF’s report echoes FTA’s calls for greater investment in infrastructure and highlights the need for consistent funding of trunk road network.

“One way to make an immediate and lasting improvement to road safety would be to equalise the speed limit between cars and commercial vehicles on these dangerous, single carriageway roads where reckless overtaking is a proven killer,” Bingham said.

According to the FTA, increasing the speed limit for commercial vehicles on single carriageway and de-restricted roads could reduce overtaking manoeuvres by drivers through impatience, stress for lorry drivers, journey times and tailpipe emissions.