Motorway speed limit to be cut on M1 Sheffield and Rotherham with new fines for speeders

The trial, introduced by Highways England, will be implemented between junction 33 Catcliffe Interchange and 34 Meadowhall Interchange and Tinsley Interchange by the end of September.

It will allow Highways England to see how slower moving traffic affects roadside air quality. Drivers could be fined £100 and given three penalty points if they breach the new limit, which will be in place for at least 12 to 15 months, The Daily Mail reports.

Dangerously high levels of nitrogen dioxide – a byproduct of burning fuel – have previously been recorded in Tinsley, where some houses back on to the M1. Traffic has also moved several metres closer to some homes since a Smart Motorway was introduced on the M1 between junction 32 and 35a in March 2017.

Public Health England has said long-term exposure to air pollution kills between 28,000 and 36,000 people a year.