| Vehicle | Built-up Areas * |
Single carriage-ways |
Dual carriage-ways |
Motorways |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars and motorcycles (including car derived vans up to 2 tonnes maximum laden weight) |
30mph | 60mph | 70mph | 70mph |
| Cars towing caravans or trailers (including car derived vans and motorcycles) |
30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph |
| Buses and coaches (not exceeding 12 metres in overall length) |
30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph |
| Goods vehicles (not exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight) |
30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph † |
| Goods vehicles (exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight) |
30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph |
These are the national speed limits and apply to all roads unless signs show otherwise.
* The 30 mph limit applies to all traffic on all roads in England and Wales (only Class C and unclassified roads in Scotland) with street lighting unless signs show otherwise).
† 60 if articulated or towing a trailer.
- Click here for the Adobe Acrobat version of the National Speed Limit table...
The above document is stored in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, click on the 'Get Acrobat Reader' icon and follow on-screen instructions for a free download.
Detailed Version Of Section 86 (1) and Schedule 6 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
| Vehicle | Carriageway | ||||||
| without trailer | with trailer | ||||||
| Single | Dual | Motorway | Single | Dual | Motorway | ||
| Motorcycle | 60mph | 70mph | 70mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | |
| Invalid carriage | 20mph | 20mph | - | 20mph | 20mph | - | |
| Passenger vehicle, dual purpose vehicle, motor caravan (none of which exceed 3050kg unladen or 8 passenger seats) car derived van not exceeding 2000kg max laden weight or 8 passenger seats | 60mph | 70mph | 70mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | |
| Passenger vehicle, dual purpose vehicle, motor caravan, car derived van exceeding 3050kg unladen or 8 passenger seats and: - | NOT exceeding 12 metres in length | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph |
| exceeding 12 metres in length | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | |
| Goods vehicle NOT exceeding 7.5 tonnes which is not an articulated vehicle or car derived van | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | |
| Goods vehicle exceeding 7.5 tonnes which is not an articulated vehicle | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | |
| Articulated goods vehicle NOT exceeding 7.5 tonnes | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph | |
| Articulated goods vehicle exceeding 7.5 tonnes | 40mph | 50mph | 60mph | 40mph | 50mph | 60mph | |