Speed limits

[PhilD]

Hi guys,
sorry if this is in the wrong place, but I work for local government in traffic management and regulations so you will understand I hope.

It has just been drawn to our attention that many new speed limits may be unenforceable as although the speed limit signing for 30 mph has been put up across the country on previously derestricted road, the centre line markings still reflect the old speed limit and not the new one..

This link will take you to the correct section of the Traffic Signs and General Direction 2002 (TSRGD 2002) look at page16 for more info.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsm ... apter5.pdf

in a nut shell its all to do with the line and space lenth.(2m, 4m for <40mph / 3m, 6m for >40mph)

so if caught for speeding in a "newish" speed limit check the line/space length.

Phil

[J.J.]

Your telling me! Thanks for the info'. It would be a site more honest to set the national limit to 30 as that seems to be what all the new limits are about. Somebody's making a fortune out of the signage.

[ben944]

Dude. There's like a 160 pages to read on road markings!!! That's gonna fry anyones mind.

Ben

[PhilD]

Hi Ben,

Look at page 16 for the info....

Phil

[928GTSM]

I don't want to piss on your parade but I think you'll find there's a stated case along the lines of was the defendant of the belief that it was a 30 mph limit, i.e. although all the signage may not have been 100% correct would they have known it was 30 mph limit. I accept that your in local government and it may yet come to pass that there are a flood of tickets cancelled and money re-imbursed but some how I don't think it will happen.
The same was first said some years ago over which regulations 30 mph limits were being placed under, i.e. restricted road by virtue of street lighting or rural road with repeater signs. When a woman contested that the regulation for an urban road had been used when placing a 30 mph limit in a village she was acquitted on appeal at Crown Court. The CPS (aka the government) on sensing that this would open the flood gates for refunds and contested cases appealed to the High Court and won, the orignal conviction was upheld as the regulation under which the speed limit was imposed had no bearing on the defendant being aware it was a 30 mph limit.
They don't usually take long to move the goal posts if they think they may have to give you your money back!!!