I completed my PPL(H) this April at around 70hrs. During my training I did quite a few cross-country trips to different places around the UK. This added quite a few additional hours that were not really needed but I love flying and wanted to get some experience of flying cross-country.
My instructor told me I was ready for the flight test in December 2002 but due to bad weather and the one of the airfields on the cross-country route is only open Friday/Sat/Sun I had to wait until April to do my cross country solo. I burnt up quite a few hours waiting for the solo cross-country.
One of the guy's who was training at the same school passed his flight test on 45hrs... He had to do a few hours on the morning of the test as he was short on hours. (He had some previous experience in micro lights)
If you have the time to fly a couple of times each week and the weather is on your side. (Helps in the UK) You can do it in 45hrs no problem....