speed limits

[gazza]

From the Motor Cycling Club News Page!!



WARNING The speed limit in respect of vans OVER 2 TONS is 50mph in the National Speed Limit, Those under 2 tons are the same as a car. One of our members has good cause to know this having been 'done' last November in a National Limit at 62mph in his 3.5 tonne van thanks to one of Blair / Brown's Revenue Raiser Cameras. He was not amused but now you have been warned.

[madmark]

poxy goverment!

[MrMPuk]

National speed limit on single lane is 60 but for large vans is 50, dual lane it's increased to 70 and then 60 for large vans. I have been pulled a few times for doing 70 and argued the fact with the coppers and have been told that if I have windows in the side then I can do national speed limit, thought this was rather odd!

[madmark]

minibuses have always been car speed!

[stevew]

Hmmm, interesting. I always thought that the deciding factor was whether or not the vehicle is 'car derived' like the Courier for example. The Transit is obviously not car derived. An intersting case is the Transit Connect. It's been designed specifically as a van but you can get it in Tourneo form and it's just an MPV.
Here's an official link:
http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.htm
Can anyone say where it says minibuses are exempt?
Personally I don't fancy being fined so I'll be sticking to 'reasonable' speeds
Ironically I was on a trip to Wales recently and a mate of mine was driving. We had left from London late and were driving down some small roads in mid wales at around 1AM. I was just explaining to my mate (who has driven vans before) that the speed limits were different for Transits when the car behind put on it's blue flashing lights and pulled us, we had been doing 70!
It turned out they were just stopping all vans looking for stolen stuff and they weren't interested in how fast we had been going. A lucky escape for my mate!
Steve

[FredTransit]

At least speed camera can't tell the difference between a van or a car, they are just set at the limit for the raod, and triggered when anything passes over that limit. They don't go off for a van if it's doing the limit and should be doing less. Though you might have a problem with the fixed ones on the M25 (that don't flash and have variable speed limits). I have never had a problem with this rule, so much so I thought it no longer existed.

[100ps_drw_hicube]

i think the ones on the m25 must be a myth as i never drop below 85mph when i go on there, no tickets to date

[gazza]

Hmmm, interesting. I always thought that the deciding factor was whether or not the vehicle is 'car derived' like the Courier for example. The Transit is obviously not car derived. An intersting case is the Transit Connect. It's been designed specifically as a van but you can get it in Tourneo form and it's just an MPV.
Here's an official link:
http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.htm
Can anyone say where it says minibuses are exempt?
Personally I don't fancy being fined so I'll be sticking to 'reasonable' speeds
Ironically I was on a trip to Wales recently and a mate of mine was driving. We had left from London late and were driving down some small roads in mid wales at around 1AM. I was just explaining to my mate (who has driven vans before) that the speed limits were different for Transits when the car behind put on it's blue flashing lights and pulled us, we had been doing 70!
It turned out they were just stopping all vans looking for stolen stuff and they weren't interested in how fast we had been going. A lucky escape for my mate!
Steve

that saved me job putting the link up so there we have it, 50 and 60 on single duals, but some slly tart in her chelsea tractor can go 10 mph quicker on the same roads wth her kids squabling in the back

[FredTransit]

Here's an official link:
http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.htm
Steve

Look closely at the table, and against 'good vehicles up to 7.5tonnes' there is a small plus sign! Does this me we can do over 70???

I had noticed the footnote, it's a retorical question...........

[vannut]

Yup, it's Car Derived vans with Gross Weight (Maximum Authorised Mass) of less than 2 tonnes. That means that the Peugeot Expert is subject to the 50 limit too, contrary to popular belief! (When was the last time you saw a plod sticking to 50 in his Expert van???)

Minibuses are also restricted to the same limits.

The bit about having windows in the side was a bit more involved, and was to cover early estate cars, which were classed as dual purpose vehicles. (I could enlarge if you wish - but you will really accuse me of being a nerd!!!)

[Luke]

The bit about having windows in the side was a bit more involved, and was to cover early estate cars, which were classed as dual purpose vehicles. (I could enlarge if you wish - but you will really accuse me of being a nerd!!!)

is there any way mine can be classed as a car 6 seats, 3 front, 3 back and windows in the back???

[vannut]

Ok.... Here goes... (From memory!)

To be classed as a dual purpose vehicle, there must be a full length rigid roof (i.e. not a pick up), and there must be an upholstered forward facing seat, (which may be foldable) which is at least two thirds of the width of the vehicle, the front part of which which must be not less than a third of the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel, and the rearmost part of the vehicle, and there must be at least 1850 square centimetres of glass in the side, and not less than 737 square centimetres of glass in the rear! (You did ask... )

Bear in mind that if you have more than 9 seats including the driver it becomes a minibus!

[vannut]

Just remembered!

In addition, a vehicle where the power can be transmitted to all four wheels is also classed as a dual purpose vehicle, providing the unladen weight doesn't exceed 2040 kgs, so that should cover most Transit County's out there. (Bet you wont find a plod that knows though so you might end up having a bit of an argument! )

[Luke]

To be classed as a dual purpose vehicle, there must be a full length rigid roof (i.e. not a pick up), and there must be an upholstered forward facing seat, (which may be foldable)

yes

the front part of which which must be not less than a third of the distance between the rearmost part of the steering wheel and the rearmost part of the vehicle

can be arranged

and there must be at least 1850 square centimetres of glass in the side

does that include the fronts?

and not less than 737 square centimetres of glass in the rear!

yes er i guess!!

So mines a car then!!!

[vannut]

I think the 1850 square centimetres in the side is in addition to the glass in the front doors....