The government is considering imposing a 60mph limit on a stretch of the M3 in an effort to cut air pollution.
The news comes just a month after it was announced that the Highways Agency was considering slashing the speed limit by 10mph on a 32-mile stretch of the M1 in an attempt to reduce CO2 emissions, improve journey time and reduce congestion.
According to the Highways Agency, the new restrictions would apply from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week, and would operate between Junction 3 at Lightwater and Junction 4 near Farnborough.
The Highways Agency claim the lower limit would be implemented as part of a £174million scheme to upgrade the 13.4-mile stretch of motorway by adding a lane in either direction and upgrading it to 'smart motorway status', with variable speed limit signs in force.
Similar systems are already in place on stretches of the M1, M25 and M42.
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said: "The M3 is heavily congested and the introduction of this smart motorway will help improve journey times by smoothing traffic flow.
"Variable speed limits on our motorways are nothing new and have been used for many years to cut congestion and keep vehicles moving."
Edmund King, president of the AA, said: "The AA believes that the extra capacity is required and that ironically 60mph speeds at peak times would actually speed up journeys.
"However a majority of drivers question whether reducing motorway speeds will make any difference to air pollution as 69 per cent see lorries as the main culprit."
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