Speed Limits - TC advice appreciated

[Duck n Dive]

On another forum I frequent (aviation) there's been a discussion about UK speed limits on variable speed motorways.

I had always been under the impression that once a variable limit was displayed it applied until either varied or the national limit sign was displayed.

Someone has offered the information that on their speed awareness course they were instructed that after passing two gantries without a limit displayed the normal limit now applies.

I've not found this anywhere else in in the highway code.

Is this advice actually true?

 

[Malone]

I thought you had to wait until seeing the cleared limit sign? How many of the variable speed motorways can you achieve the shown limit, let alone exceed it?

 

[johnboy]

The feckin M5 regularly has reduced speeds for miles and miles with no apparent reason, I stick to the restricted speed but most sail past at 70, but I'm back up to 70 after 3 or 4 blank gantries.

 

[Duck n Dive]

After a bit more searching I did find something on gov.uk that said what I thought was the case.

That is once a gantry limit is shown it applies until varied or the national limit sign is displayed.

A "blank" gantry sign means nothing - it doesn't vary or cancel anything previously displayed.

 

[andyBeaker]

I woukd love to know the answer to this as it is very uncomfortable sticking to what appears to be a reduced limit while everyone else is flying past

 

[Malone]

Remember, it is a limit and not a target.

 

[Duck n Dive]

Interestingly someone else in the other forum says they visited the highways agency control room for the Yorkshire bit of the M6 as part of a car club outing.

Said when he asked them why they didn't bother always to display the National limit sign at the end of a restriction they just looked puzzled and said they didn't think it was a problem.

 

[Duck n Dive]

Remember, it is a limit and not a target.

But a limit of 40 mph is just that.

An artic up my chuff trying to 60mph 'cos his personal rule is he can do 60 mph once they stop showing a limit on a gantry (even if the next gantry further on shows 40) is bleeding dangerous.

 

[T.C]

On another forum I frequent (aviation) there's been a discussion about UK speed limits on variable speed motorways.

I had always been under the impression that once a variable limit was displayed it applied until either varied or the national limit sign was displayed.

Someone has offered the information that on their speed awareness course they were instructed that after passing two gantries without a limit displayed the normal limit now applies.

I've not found this anywhere else in in the highway code.

Is this advice actually true?

You are absolutely correct, the speed limit applies until such time as you pass a National Speed Limit sign or another speed limit (either fixed or variable) is displayed.

Whoever provided the advice about the gantries clearly does not know what they are talking about or has been misinformed (they are run by civilians after all).

The speed limit starts at the first sign and finishes at the last sign where a different speed limit comes into force.

Hope that helps?