I've worked with enough people in Scottish Government to know that they often have a firm view of the line they want to take albeit for political reasons and being seen to be different to England.
However it always surprises me how few people actually bother formally responding to Scottish Government consultations.
- Bitching about things being a foregone conclusion on an internet forum will not reach those who make these decisions.
- If we don't reply and get our voices heard then, like Wales, these Scotland wide speed limit changes may be pushed through.
It also strikes me that politicians have an unrealistic expectation of how a simple change might reduce and influence the numbers of road casualties; people were injured and died on the roads in the days of horse and cart The news briefing announcing this consultation talks of reducing deaths circa 200 over 60 years i.e. 3/4 per year. That's a small number over a long period when you are talking about millions of driver miles & decisions every day.
The local car nuts tearing up the urban street at high speed with their pop pop exhausts ignore current limits. Then there's those drunk, drugged up, confused motorists doing daft things on badly signed and poorly maintained roads or the dozens of other random events that lead to road casualties. Without enforcement the change sought by politicians won't arise simply by further lowering limits