40 MPH limit - advice or the law?

James_N

Recently, a series of county roads have been given a 40 mph limit, from 60 mph. There's a good reason for this at times, since cattle, sheep and horses roam freely at these locations. I have personally attended a nice new Volvo XC90, extensively smashed in the front, shattered screen and bent roof, with a very shaken gentleman in the car, and a very dead horse in the road.

But all the authorities have done has been to announce a new limit, and paint 40 on the road every few hundred yards. There are no repeater posts.

Is this an advised limit, or a legal limit? At times you'd be stupid to do over 20 in the dark and fog; at other times you can see a mile and barring a horse trying for the national, are completely "safe" doing over 40.

verityboo

James_N wrote: »

But all the authorities have done has been to announce a new limit, and paint 40 on the road every few hundred yards. There are no repeater posts.

Is there a 40mph max speed road sign when entering the section of road with the new 40 speed limit?

RuthnJasper

In Dartmoor National Park, the roads over the moor have a 40mph limit by law. Are you able to check your local council's website? If so, and there has been an official change in the legal speed limit to a particular road or roads, there ought to be an official notice of this somewhere in their archives.

Alternatively, someone from the local parish council may know - they should have been consulted with regard to any modification of legal speed limits in their parish.

Hope this helps. Best wishes. x

AlexisV

What do the signs say at the entrance?

James_N

verityboo wrote: »

Is there a 40mph max speed road sign when entering the section of road with the new 40 speed limit?

I think not - will check next time I pass that way.

kingstreet

To change the limit, the County Council would need to make a TRO (Traffic Regulation Order) confirming the start and end of the new limit and new terminal signs (larger red circle-type) would be needed on either side of the road to mark the new limit, together with the smaller repeater roundels at regular intervals.

Contact the Council and see if there is a TRO in existence.

Strider590

My take on narrow twisty country roads is this:

If you can't drive DONT USE THEM!
If you have no common sense DONT USE THEM!
If your driving a hummer (or something else stupidly big) DONT USE THEM!
If you can't reverse a car DONT USE THEM!
If you don't know how wide your car is DONT USE THEM!
If you approach a blind bend or crest USE THE BL00DY HORN!

IMO all country roads should remain at 60mph, the problem is caused by !!!!heads in huge cars/4x4's who think they can just barge their way down the road at whatever speed they like.

luckwudaveit

http://www.abd.org.uk/speed_limit_signs.htm#repeaters

The above link includes a table which suggests for a Road more than 350m in length: (i) with a maximum speed limit of 40mph; that repeater signs shall be required at the distances given, as a maximum.

So it would appear that the Council have a speed limit which would be hard to enforce.

interstellaflyer

I think the clue here in the opening post is XC90, I live in a rural area and I can honestly say that the people that drive these cars seem to forget their brain cells when they get behind the wheel, often country lanes are NSL, it doesn't mean it's appropriate to do 60mph down them, it's hoped that because you cannot see more than 30 mtrs ahead that you will have the common sense to drive with caution.

James_N

Strider590 wrote: »

My take on narrow twisty country roads is this:

If you can't drive DONT USE THEM!
If you have no common sense DONT USE THEM!
If your driving a hummer (or something else stupidly big) DONT USE THEM!
If you can't reverse a car DONT USE THEM!
If you don't know how wide your car is DONT USE THEM!
If you approach a blind bend or crest USE THE BL00DY HORN!

IMO all country roads should remain at 60mph, the problem is caused by !!!!heads in huge cars/4x4's who think they can just barge their way down the road at whatever speed they like.

Who said anything about twisty narrow lanes? Don't hijack threads with facile incorrect assumptions for your own ends please. And I am not interested in your opinion, I just wanted to know the facts.

James_N

luckwudaveit wrote: »

http://www.abd.org.uk/speed_limit_signs.htm#repeaters

The above link includes a table which suggests for a Road more than 350m in length: (i) with a maximum speed limit of 40mph; that repeater signs shall be required at the distances given, as a maximum.

So it would appear that the Council have a speed limit which would be hard to enforce.

I don't disagree with the new "limit" - it's just that over the last few weeks I have been passed by all types of vehicles in all weathers while at or below 40, often a great speed. These roads are wide and by definition unfenced, and often with excellent sightlines - it's in poor weather and at night the greatest danger from animals exists.
And the XC90 driver was not complacent, and said he was not speeding. But the horse appeared at speed, and at twilight. Of course, "not speeding" on that road at that time may have been 60 + a little bit more.