Spanish slowdown saves fuel

A truck drives drive past a speed limit sign on a highway outside Madrid.

A truck drives drive past a speed limit sign on a highway outside Madrid.

Published Apr 29, 2011

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Spanish drivers burned 7.9 percent less fuel in March year-on-year after a contested new highway speed limit came into force.

Industry minister Miguel Sebastian told a news conference on Thursday the drop in fuel consumption had led to a reduction in the country's fuel bill of €94.2 million (R924 million).

Spain cut its national speed limit from 120 to 110km/h in March as part of a package of 20 energy-saving measures intended to offset rising oil prices and protect the country's fragile economic recovery.

The reduced speed limit came into effect on March 7, three days after it was announced, and will remain in place until at least June 30.

Sebastian said the government would decide at the end of June whether or not to keep the lower speed limit in place for longer.

“Faced with a rise in the price of oil, Spain has no other margin of manoeuvre than to reduce its consumption,” he said.

Those exceeding the limit and driving below 140km/h are subject to a fine of €100 (R980) while those driving faster than 140km/h will face a €300 (R2950) fine.

About 69 percent of Spaniards disapprove of the measure, according to a poll in the El Pais newspaper.

Spain's former double Formula One World champion Fernando Alonso has also blasted the new limit, warning that it will be “difficult to stay awake” at this speed.

Alongside the lower speed limit, Spain has cut the price of commuter and short-distance rail tickets by five percent and introduced susbisidies for purchases of special tyres designed to reduce fuel consumption.

Sebastian said the other energy-saving measures would take longer to implement and their effect on energy consumption would not be as immediate.

Spain is almost completely dependent on imported fuel for road transport, although a fifth of its electricity output is generated by wind power, and the spike in oil prices has added to pressures on inflation and the trade deficit.

Each increase of €10 (R98) in the cost of a barrel of oil adds about €6 billion (R59 billion) to the country's annual energy bill, according to government calculations. - AFP

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