what is the speed limit on a dual carriageway? some people have said 60 others say 70mph?

Answer 1

i THINK its 70 for cars etc and 60 for motor cycles

Answer 2

The answer is so simple that I am astonished at the question even being asked! And horrified that the questioner didn't bother to look in a the Highway Code for such basics!

I am even more astonished at some of the foolish replies given! I can only think these are from children who are too young to drive and play at making silly guesses. It is a pity that yahoo fails to state the age of each respondent when there are so many clueless kids on here.

The National Speed Limit in the UK is 60 mph on single carriageway roads, 70 mph on dual carriageways, and 30mph in any urban or built up areas.

Where other speed limits apply, they are signed accordingly and continue until a new limit applies or the 'End of Restriction / National Limits Apply' sign (the black and white circular sign with the diagonal bar across it).

But for all of our sake's... GET A HIGHWAY CODE!!!

Answer 3

SEVENTY - get a highway code!

That applies for private cars travelling on non-urban stretches (edit: OF DUAL CARRIAGEWAY ROAD) with no other posted limit, of course.

This debate is why there's so much frustration on our roads, there's too many people who eke through their test not knowing this and not being asked, and dodder about at 50 (or 40!) on A-roads and 50 or 60 on dual carriageways, getting in the way and forcing people to overtake / break the limit afterwards to keep a good time, all the time thinking they're driving to a limit that they've actually completely made up. The sooner we go over to an american (or widely european) system of posting every last limit with decently frequent repeaters the better; the "derestricted" thing was only ever meant for the days of there being no actual limit on the "open road" and is waaaaay out of date and confusing.


EDIT: All you folks answering something different from this - go educate yourselves already before answering anything similar, or going on a long road trip, and make our roads a quicker (or in some cases, slightly slower... 70 on all roads? no, it's not!) and overall safer place.

EDIT 2: Lofty, by definition, a road without a central reservation is a "single carriageway", regardless of the number of lanes - one (single track), two (regular highway), three (2 vs 1 e.g. crawler lane or filter lanes, or the rare shared-use central overtaking lane), four or more (certain city express routes). Dual carriageway means... well, i'd hope it's obvious - two "carriage ways" i.e. strips of tarmac.
Typically those with a single carriageway and more than 3 lanes have a lower limit anyway as it's not the safest situation, e.g. 50, 40, even 30. They can be more useful than an actual dualler, as commonly there's no double white line down the middle so it's perfectly legal to stray into the "third" lane, if it's clear, to get around a couple of tango'ing dawdlers in lanes 1+2.

Where did I suggest anything to the contrary, by the way? Read my original answer in fullness for pete's sake. Private cars travelling on non-urban stretches (of DC, as per the QUESTION) where no other limit is posted. Posted limits will lower it (or raise it, in urban areas), in towns it's 30mph, and if you're driving other vehicles it lowers - 60 for vans and buses, 50 for caravans or articulated trucks (and, "secret" legistlation, in statute but not the Code - 20mph for double-articulated vehicles... 40 on m'ways)

Answer 4

MARK P, GET YOUR HIGHWAY CODE AND READ IT!!!

SPEED LIMITS ON DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS DEPEND ON THE PRESENCE OF A CENTRAL RESERVATION.

ON CARRIAGEWAYS WITH A CENTRAL RESERVATION THE SPEED LIMIT IS 70 MPH

ON CARRIAGEWAYS WITHOUT - IT IS 60 MPH.

THESE ARE MAXIMUM LIMITS, AND DEPEND ON LOCAL RESRICTIONS.

A CENTRAL RESERVATION IS DEPICTED AS EITHER A BARRIERED OR GRASSED SECTION SEPARATING THE TWO DIRECTIONS.

For those of you that are having trouble grasping this very basic concept, I suggest you refer to Schedule 6 Part 1 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 deals with speed limits for various vehicles on Motorways, DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS not being a Motorway and other roads.

Part IV of said schedule is the interpretation part and defines Dual carriageway as-

a road part of which consists of a central reservation to separate a carriageway to be used by vehicles proceding in one direction from a carriageway to be used by vehicles proceeding in the opposite direction.

Central reservation is not further defined but is so at Traffic Signs and General Directions 2002 : -

"central reservation" means -

(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 a road,

which separates the carriageway or, as the case may be, 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 at all times or at particular times only) by traffic moving in the other direction;

The use of white lines alone do not constitute a central reservation, therefore the maximum limit as laid down is 60 mph, depending both on vehicle type and local limit imposed.

Edit 2 , questioner did not specify type of vehicle involved

For cars and motorcycles 70 mph
Cars towing trailers and caravans 60mph
Buses coaches and goods vehicles not exceeding 7.54 tonnes 60 mph

Goods vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes 50 mph

Answer 5

This sign indicates that THE NATIONAL SPEED LIMIT applies, ie 60mph on a single carriageway, 70mph on a dual carriageway. You would expect to see this sign at the point where a lower limit ends. Remember that a lower limit than the NATIONAL SPEED LIMIT might still apply to you because of your vehicle or because you are drawing a trailer

Answer 6

All UK speed limits for different types of vehicle are shown in the Highway Code. You can find an online version here: http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk

The speed limit section is here, in a nice, simple, table:

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.htm#103

Of course, there are sections of dual carriageway in the UK on which the speed limit is 30, 40, 50 or 60.

However, if there are no signs specifying a speed limit, and only signs showing that the National Speed Limit is in force, the speed limits for different types of vehicle are as shown in the table.

Answer 7

Speed limits, unless signs say different, are 70 for roads with more than one carriageway, i.e. dual carriageways or motorways, and 60 for all other roads. These may, or course be modified by temporary or permanent signs to a lower speed.

Answer 8

60mph is for a single carriageway, 70mph is for the dual carriageway. It may be subject to any speed limit up to the national speed limit or in the case of towing a trailer.

Answer 9

If your driving a car then usually it will be 70mph unless otherwise indicated. The national speed limit so 70mph for roads with 2 or more lanes, so as long as you see the white circle with the black diagonal line in you can go up to 70!

Answer 10

60 for dual carriageways. And one who says any higher has NOT read the Highway Code.

Answer 11

hi if the dual carriage way is displaying the national speed limit sign i e round sign white background with black stripe then it is 70 mph on dual carriage ways an 60 mph on single carriageways
cheers