Greener transport for Spain – other countries to follow suit?

Dr. Gary Robertshaw
March 2011

Spain has introduced a new speed limit of 110 km per hour on its main roads, down from the previous limit of 120 km per hour. The reason for the slowdown? It is intended to save energy following the surge in oil prices across the Arab world as unrest spreads.

The government believes that the reduction in road speed translates to a 15% saving on fuel and a considerable cut in Spain's overall energy bill. "We are going to go a bit slower and in exchange we will consume less petrol and pay less money," said Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister. It is not known if the change will be permanent or temporary.

The Spanish has also announced a series of energy reduction measures, which include subsidising the cost of energy-efficient car tyres, installing energy-saving light bulbs in small towns and a cut in the price of tickets on commuter trains.

Spain remains heavily dependent on imported fuel and over 10% of its oil typically comes from Libya. As oil prices continue to increase it’s likely that other governments will be forced to look at greener options for transport.

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