Speed limits Information

[Jim.M_5040716]

A friend of mine was complaining that he saw the flash of a speed camera in his mirror on a recent trip, he did not get much simpathy from others on site.

But some time later this was the subject of a phone in on local radio. There was considerable confusion about what the correct speed limits are.

Most people knew that 60mph is the max, but nobody knew where.

The limit of 60mph only applies to dual carrageways and Motorways.

On Single Carrageways including "A" class roads it is 50mph

unless a lower limit is in force.

In built up ares it is 30mph

There is allso a bit of cofusion with solo car limits, 70mph is only on M/ways and D /carageways

Single carrageways it is only 60mph unless a lower limit is in force. This includes A roads.

These limits apply to any vehicle that is towing any form of trailer even a sandwich box on wheels, and compressors towed by three tonne trucks,I have seen them being towed at over 70mph swinging violently side to side cause the driver cannot see it from the cab..

Jim M

 

[RogerL]

Car solo = 70mph dual carriageway, 60mph single carriageway, in BOTH cases UNLESS a lower limit in force which could be 50,40,30 or 20. Class of road doesn't directly affect the limit.

Car towing = 60mph dual carriageway, 50 mph single carriageway, in both cases unless a lower limit is in force.

Commercials and heavier vehicles have some different limits.

It's appalling how many drivers don't know the basic rules above, but that's only a reflection of the poor driving standards generally.

Some caravan shops STILL sell "60" stickers to indicate a trailers speed limit. That was dropped as a legal requirement in the '80s (can't remember the exact year) when the towing limit was increased from 50 to 60.

 

[mikeE]

Speed limits for caravans are 60 max dual carriageway or 50 elsewhere unless otherwise stated. But, as far as I know, a speed camera cannot distinguish between a solo vehicle or one towing so as far as the camera is concerned it will only record an 'object' travelling at above the maximum speed limit for any vehicle on that particular stretch of road . Or have I got that wrong ? In other words does size matter to a speed camera ?

Mike E

 

[smiley]

Roger the speed limit is only 70 on a dual carriageway if there are central barriers otherwise it is 60 don't get caught out.

 

[Mac2]

Speed cameras cannot distinguish between solo and towing vehicles. as an example - if you were towing at 70 mph on a motorway (10 mph over the speed limit for towing)the speed camera would not flash.

 

[RichardS1]

To pick up on Mikes reply I am aware that the speed limit for artics on single carriageways is 40mph and cameras are set up to detect the size of the vehicle and flash artics exceeding the limit. I would think it would be possible to use the same technology to detect caravans exceeding 50mph on single carriageways. RichardS

 

[mikeE]

Richard S makes the point that the technology exists to detect artics. by size - perhaps there is a Gatso expert or H.G.V. driver amongst us who knows for sure - and does such technology detect caravans ? Of course the answer is to keep to the limits - - - - - or build 'vans using stealth fighter designs and make them invisible to radar !

Mike E

 

[Jim.M_5040716]

Hi Guys.

The gatso system dose not detect vehicles by size but only by the speed that it passes through the grid, If you went through on a bike fast enough it would still operate.

The SPEED limits are set out clearly in the "Highway code", there is NO mention of barriers in the middle of D/carageways,

Some of the new mobile speed dection units are able to record size because they are manualy opperated.

The penalties for speeding is now set at

 

[rayc]

Smiley and Jim F are both right regarding barriers on a dual carriageway. A dual carriageway is only such if there is a physical seperation between the two duirections of traffic. This can be a grass seperation, bushes, crash barriers etc.

A dual carriageway is such even if there is only one lane in each direction as long as the physical seperation is there.

Two or more lanes in each direction, without the physical seperation barrier, is NOT a dual carriageway, nor are roads such as the A303, which have stretches which are two lane in one direction and one in the other.

 

[rayc]

Be careful if you are flashed when towing. It happened to Mr Greaves from Huddersfield who was accused of towing at 50mph in a 30 limit. It appears the camera added the speed of the car and caravan together.

Technology isn't infallable and don't count on the camera partnerships carrying out the secondary checks that they are required by law to carry out prior to issuing the FPN.

Full story : www.abd.org.uk local issues West Yorkshire "Pensioners caravan fools speed camera"

 

[RogerL]

Roger the speed limit is only 70 on a dual carriageway if there are central barriers otherwise it is 60 don't get caught out.

Smiley - you're wrong!

The National Speed Limit simply differentiates between single carriageway and dual carriageway, there's no reference to barriers, lighting or anything else.

Why don't driver's just read the Highway Code!

 

[richard_5092764]

As Clarkson and Co have proven if you go fast enough the Gatso will not detect you - that is if you and your van can reach 186mph+..... just a thought.

 

[RogerL]

Smiley and Jim F are both right regarding barriers on a dual carriageway. A dual carriageway is only such if there is a physical seperation between the two duirections of traffic. This can be a grass seperation, bushes, crash barriers etc.

A dual carriageway is such even if there is only one lane in each direction as long as the physical seperation is there.

Two or more lanes in each direction, without the physical seperation barrier, is NOT a dual carriageway, nor are roads such as the A303, which have stretches which are two lane in one direction and one in the other.

The separation of dual carriageways is simply land which must not be driven on except in an emergency. Kerbs, grass strips, barriers etc are all irrelevent.

 

[RogerL]

Apparently roundabouts on a dual carriageway count as a short stretch of single carriageway!

There are few roundabouts that I would wish to take without slowing down but this piece of highway law surprised me.

 

[mikeE]

The last couple of entries by richard and RogerL remind me of the story of the man stopped for doing 87mph on the flat in his 1900cc V.W. Caravette. He was so proud of that he had the caution framed and mounted on the front of the vehicle.

Mike E

 

[Jim.M_5040716]

It seems that the point of my first post of seepd advice has lost it's track the type of any barrier on dual carrageways is irrelevant, the max speed limit is 70mph for solo cars& motorcycles includingcar derived vansup to 2tonnes max laden weight.. source Hywaycode 2004 version.

Jim M

 

[rayc]

RogerL said: The separation of dual carriageways is simply land which must not be driven on except in an emergency. Kerbs, grass strips, barriers etc are all irrelevent.

I think you will find that if you follow that advise and do 70mph (or 60 with caravan) that you will be prosecuted. A strip of land which must not be driven on could be double solid white lines or hatching with solid borders but they do not make it a dual carriageway. There must be a physical seperation barrier of some sort. The A303 is typical in having two lanes in one direction and one in the other seperated by double white lines. Avon & Somerset Police consider the speed limit to be 60mph solo, 50mph towing.

 

[RogerL]

"Part IV of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 defines a dual carriageway as in the footnote 1.

1 A dual carriageway is a road part of which consists of a central reservation that separates a carriageway to

be used by vehicles proceeding in one direction from a carriageway to be used by vehicles in the opposite

direction.

A central reservation is:

(a) any land between the carriageways of a road comprising two carriageways, or

(b) any permanent work (other than a traffic island) in the carriageway of the road

which separates the carriageway or, as the case maybe, the part of the carriageway which is to be used by

traffic moving in one direction from the carriageway or part of the carriageway which is to be used

(whether all the time or at particular times only) by traffic moving in the other direction."

--

In a) there's no minimum width for the land between the carriageways nor any requirement for ANYTHING to be in or on that land.

I don't know whether any motorist prosecuted on the A30 in Devon has challenged the definition of single / dual carriageway. If the limit there is enforced by imposition of a specific reduction in solo limit from 70 to 60, then 60 also applies to trailers!