The Government is looking at proposals to reduce the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph on single carriageway rural roads in a bid to reduce road accidents.

Although ministers realise it would be an unpopular move, they believe it to be necessary to reduce fatalities from motorist and pedestrian accidents.

Excluding road accident blackspots, it is common for the speed limit to be 60mph on single carriageway roads outside of built up areas which are the roads that would be targeted under the proposals.

Figures show that in 2007 there were 2,946 deaths and a further 30,000 serious injuries as a result of road accidents in the UK, and in 29% of these speed was believed to be a factor.

Jim Fitzpatrick, the Road Safety Minister realises that the UK's roads used to have one of the best road safety records in the world, but in recent years that record has slipped and it has come to his attention that rural roads can be more prone to road accidents.

The Automobile Association (AA) though has urged ministers to use a targeted approach, and not blanket all rural roads the same in any proposed changes.

This is just one way the Government is looking at improving the UK's road safety, with other measures such as a "drug-drive limit", six points for excessive speeding and tougher penalties for mobile phone usage while driving also believed to be being investigated.

With regard to the rural road speed changes a Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson claimed that: "This is something that is being looked at, but no decisions have yet been taken."