Bloody ridiculous. Increased traffic density, travel time, etc and practically no effect on carbon emissions. But then politicians need to be seen as doing something to justify their existence. I hope this doesn't spread.
In France in 2019, as a sop to the Gilets Jaunes, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe partially reversed the 2018 decision to reduce speed limits on rural roads in France from 90km/h to 80km/h. He rather copped out by devolving the matter to local government, so that now in about half of the départements of France the limit is 80km/h and in the rest it is 90km/h. This cunningly increases the potential for raising revenue on fines, due to uncertainty from motorists as to the speed limit operating wherever they happen to be....
FWIW, the period over which it was reduced to 80 everywhere showed a drop in road fatalities compared to the average over the previous 5 years.
If it's about pollution in Holland, maybe the Dutch should consider allowing people in EVs to still drive at 130km/h on motorways. That should add to the general confusion.
