Remember: top speed is 110

SPAIN (Agencies/Photo: EuropaSur) As we (and the Government) announced last week, the top speed in Spain will be 110 kilometres per hour as from midnight tonight, i.e. from Monday, March 7. The measure, it was announced on Friday, is temporary and is planned to last four months, depending on the energy situation. The objective is to save energy as Spain imports over 75% of its oil - that, plus chaos in Northern Africa. All signs on major roads should have been changed by now, and although there is no news about the radars, is it worth risking a hefty fine? An interesting study about the cost of the signs is in this morning's EuropaSur, which we have translated and summarised below:>

Maybe the State hasn't made a good deal, or perhaps the Junta de Andalucía has found a real bargain. The fact is that the Junta's replacement 110 kph stickers for our roads are costing less than those for the national road grid.

One of the controversies arising from the Government's decree about the new lower speed limit is about the cost of adapting the road signs. The Ministry of Development, under whose aegis is the subject, calculated that it would cost €250,000, which, they said was 'laughable' compared to the amount of money that would be saved in energy expense. This was estimated at 15% in petrol and 11% in diesel.

The road system in Spain has some 6,000 signs that needed changing, said Development, so the price per sticker comes to €41. These are presumably made of metal.

The Junta is also rushing to make the change. According to its Department of Works and Housing, it would cost Andalucia €13,248 to change the 576 signs under its wing. That comes to €23 per sign. But, canny Junta, they are using stickers (photo) instead of changing the whole sign.

Of course, this being a 'temporary' measure, all signs, metal or stickers, will have to be changed back after four months...

(Note: Given the amount of corruption all over the place that is 'coming to light' -though most of it has been in evidence but unpunished for years- one can but wonder which relative of which Minister or Councillor or whatever got the deal for the new signage. Call us cynical...)