when i car commuted, i used to be one of many cars doing 100 in the outer lane. then i got tired of throwing away my wage-check in fuel, and did 80 instead, which was also more comfortable.
people on this thread ignoring what causes accidents: poor road design, drunk driving, poor vehicle maintenance, sudden braking - a disproportionately high number of accidents involve motorbikes - and certain A roads too - motorways - even with people doing 100 on them - are the safest roads - even on motorways most accidents happen in the slow lane - not with the fastest traffic.
when i got points on my licence - my premium went up £20 - that shows how dangerous insurance companies think speeding is (ie, they don't think it really increases the chance of an accident, otherwise they'd have doubled my premium)
having a speed limit that makes people brake to 70 every time they go under a bridge (you see this alot on the M25) can actually cause accidents. having a speed limit that means queues form behind police cars ...because everyone normally does 80 - is a bit of a daft situation.
consciousness of the possibility of killing someone is a good reason to stick to thirty in local areas (or 20 at some times of day/ school drop off places) where most fatal accidents occur - and for the government to consider the matter using the actual evidence, not just sticking with the status quo because the populace thinks it makes them safer.
so, i look forwards to seeing the result of the consultation.