Speed Limits

[joe.s-b]

What are the legal speed limits in UK; these are the limits which must be legally obeyed. There is still confusion about 20mph and although I think it should be an offence t ignore it; is it?

[Mamyalynne]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Motoring/Road-rules/Question1436817.html


https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

[Maydup]

If the speed limit is displayed inside a red circle it is mandatory. If it is in any other form it is advisory.

[Old_Geezer]

Confusion ? I thought everyone knew they were pushed through by driver and car hating "folk" and I assume the signs are just for target practice. Must be as it's our taxation used to buy & install them and I don't recall voting for their use as anything else.

[Peter Pedant]

I am not confused but then I am not a lawyer

[EDDIE51]

20 mph limits can be set by local councils but they are legally binding.
You can be prosecuted for breaking them and get points on your licence or be banned.

[joe.s-b]

Thank for two sensible answers.

[Hopkirk]

I saw one of those 'fly on the wall' police programmes once where the cops were using their speed guns in a 20 mph zone, so some forces are enforcing them.

As a separate issue I note you talk about speed limits in the UK. Oddly enough there is now variation in different parts, in that there are different speed limits for heavy lorries in Scotland than there are in the rest of the UK.

[Peter Pedant]

There was by chance a piece on tonights news

20 mph areas had a higher accident rate and mortality
so they would be abandoning them

but that is not a question of Law

[paul1763]

while o the subject of speed limits, why have they lowered the national speed limit from 60 to 50 in a lot of areas? totally unecessary as far as i'm concerned, and on the subject of the 20mph i think its a good idea but should only apply during school hours as not far away from me are 2 schools creating almost a 3/4 mile section of 20mph. Only tuesday i passed a speed camera van by the school collecting money for the council and believe it or not for some reason there wasn't a kid or teacher in sight

[EDDIE51]

^^ 50 mph limits are able to be imposed by local councils as are 20 mph limits. They are not 'national' speed limits they are local speed limits. As with the 20 mph limits they are compulsory and you can be fined or get points if you break them.

[Meg]

I live in a 20 mph zone, two schools nearby and yes the police do occasionally monitor it and prosecute the offenders.

[douglas9401]

"...in that there are different speed limits for heavy lorries in Scotland than there are in the rest of the UK."

The trial 50mph limit on single carriageway for HGVs was introduced in conjunction with average speed cameras on the single carriageway section of the A9 from just north of Perth to Inverness, over 100 miles.
The dual carriageway part of the same road from Dunblane to Perth is also covered by these cameras.
It's been fairly successful so far.