7.5t HGV speed limit raised to 50mph

[turbobloke]

From the latest Local Transport Today:

The speed limit for lorries on single carriageway roads in England and Wales will be raised from 40 to 50mph early next year, the Government has announced. The increase, for goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes, will be made despite strong opposition to the change in a consultation held last year. “The consultation was not designed to be a poll” the DfT said this week.

Announcing the increase, new transport minister Claire Perry said: “This change will remove a 20mph difference between lorry and car speed limits, cutting dangerous overtaking and bringing permitted lorry speeds into line with other large vehicles such as coaches and caravans.”

[mph1977]

The 40 mpg SC speed limit for HGVs has been widely ignored by the police, VOSA and operators (other than the supermarkets) for many years although there does appear to be some enforcemet and better compliance now - probably becasue tracking is widespread

there is a risk that it might actually increase 'dangerous' overtaking as the idiots who absolutely must get past will still do it

there is also the risk that the followers will follow even more at 50 rather than 40

[jmorgan]

Like to see what the average is for many coaches and sheds on the roads. I think the problem has been poor training of car drivers and they will not sit back and let those that can overtake get on with it.

[Hooli]

jmorgan said:

Like to see what the average is for many coaches and sheds on the roads. I think the problem has been poor training of car drivers and they will not sit back and let those that can overtake get on with it.

Coaches have a 50mph limit on single carriageway roads already.

Agree with the second part, it's poor training & too many people who don't think (about anything).

[jmorgan]

Hooli said:

Coaches have a 50mph limit on single carriageway roads already.

Agree with the second part, it's poor training & too many people who don't think (about anything).

I was wondering what they actually achieve on some A roads. Having trundled up and down Wales by various routes since the 80's there are many places they will never achieve 50. Not safely anyway.

[mph1977]

jmorgan said:

Like to see what the average is for many coaches and sheds on the roads. I think the problem has been poor training of car drivers and they will not sit back and let those that can overtake get on with it.

can't comment on modern L driver training, but both myself and my brother were taught how to overtake but it;s getting on for 20 years since i learnt as a few years less than for my brother ...

however the ADI I used was ex RCT Master Driver and the ADI my Brother used was an Policed Advanced driver and driver trainer ... when doing initial 'advanced' or job related driver training both of us recieved feedback from the respective trainers that we must have been taught by ADIs who are ex forces or ex plod ...

[2013BRM]

mph1977 said:

The 40 mpg SC speed limit for HGVs has been widely ignored by the police, VOSA and operators (other than the supermarkets) for many years although there does appear to be some enforcemet and better compliance now - probably becasue tracking is widespread

there is a risk that it might actually increase 'dangerous' overtaking as the idiots who absolutely must get past will still do it

there is also the risk that the followers will follow even more at 50 rather than 40

such negativity, this is a bloody good move and the first one I can recall, so be positive

[aw51 121565]

mph1977 said:

The 40 mpg SC speed limit for HGVs has been widely ignored by the police, VOSA and operators (other than the supermarkets) for many years although there does appear to be some enforcemet and better compliance now - probably becasue tracking is widespread

HGVs exceeding the 40mph limit on SC roads was tacitly approved by the police for many years; while it may still well be tacitly approved by yer actual rarely-seen-nowadays police officer, automated and 'safety camera' enforcement does not turn the same blind eye to it...

The proposed change to 50 is a step in the right direction in my view, for this reason alone .

[mph1977]

2013BRM said:

mph1977 said:

The 40 mpg SC speed limit for HGVs has been widely ignored by the police, VOSA and operators (other than the supermarkets) for many years although there does appear to be some enforcemet and better compliance now - probably becasue tracking is widespread

there is a risk that it might actually increase 'dangerous' overtaking as the idiots who absolutely must get past will still do it

there is also the risk that the followers will follow even more at 50 rather than 40

such negativity, this is a bloody good move and the first one I can recall, so be positive

my point with regard to ovewtaking is that this change will not unequivocably reduce 'dangerous overtaking'

the later point about followers is down to the way in which fewer and fewer car steering wheeel operatives seems to do things like overtake - probably becasue ADIs seem to be increasingly dumbed down - the attitude of some ADIs with regard to good driving techniques rather than the ab initio basics is very very poor ... such as describing any form of driver development as 'playing starsky and hutch' and claiming that road craft is a text for response drivers despite the fact there is NOTHING in the last few editions of roadcraft aobut the use of warning devices or claiming exemptions ... ( cf the IHCD ambulance driving book as well as EFD and police response / advanced texts that build on raodcraft.

[Magic919]

Another of the threads on this topic http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[RegMolehusband]

I am amazed! Common sense at last, Brake will be apoplectic surely! I am fed up of following a queue of cars behind a 40mph supermarket truck on the A5 and A49 around here and seeing some of the crazy multi-car overtakes.

I think many will be happy to stick behind at 50mph and a bit.



Edit to add, ah yes, they're not very happy about it http://brake.org.uk/news/1250-hgvspeedlimit-jul14

[2013BRM]

RegMolehusband said:

I am amazed! Common sense at last, Brake will be apoplectic surely! I am fed up of following a queue of cars behind a 40mph supermarket truck on the A5 and A49 around here and seeing some of the crazy multi-car overtakes.

I think many will be happy to stick behind at 50mph and a bit.



Edit to add, ah yes, they're not very happy about it http://brake.org.uk/news/1250-hgvspeedlimit-jul14

If it upsets those morons then it's a double win

[mph1977]

RegMolehusband said:

I am amazed! Common sense at last, Brake will be apoplectic surely! I am fed up of following a queue of cars behind a 40mph supermarket truck on the A5 and A49 around here and seeing some of the crazy multi-car overtakes.

I think many will be happy to stick behind at 50mph and a bit.



Edit to add, ah yes, they're not very happy about it http://brake.org.uk/news/1250-hgvspeedlimit-jul14

the crazy multi car overtakes are down the followers not following properly and bunching

what a surprise that brake are upset - they are an organisation of shroud wavers based on abnormal reactions to normal ( bloody tragic but normal... ) incidents

ALARP does not apply to brake they'd have red flag men back if they could and so d the damage to the economy

[Dairymilk]

Perhaps the rise to 50mph will be accompanied by a lowering of the speed enforcement threshold in a 50mph speed limit from 57mph to 55mph.

[Hooli]

jmorgan said:

Hooli said:

Coaches have a 50mph limit on single carriageway roads already.

Agree with the second part, it's poor training & too many people who don't think (about anything).

I was wondering what they actually achieve on some A roads. Having trundled up and down Wales by various routes since the 80's there are many places they will never achieve 50. Not safely anyway.

I used to drive coaches & your right, there are a lot of places they can't get anywhere near 50 safely (& just as importantly, comfortably for the passengers). There are a lot of roads where they can do 60 safely too, I'd say it's probably about half as much road safe to exceed the limit as there is where you can't achieve it.

[g3org3y]

2013BRM said:

RegMolehusband said:

I am amazed! Common sense at last, Brake will be apoplectic surely! I am fed up of following a queue of cars behind a 40mph supermarket truck on the A5 and A49 around here and seeing some of the crazy multi-car overtakes.

I think many will be happy to stick behind at 50mph and a bit.



Edit to add, ah yes, they're not very happy about it http://brake.org.uk/news/1250-hgvspeedlimit-jul14

If it upsets those morons then it's a double win

When Brake get upset, it makes me happy.