Two speed limits in the same place...?
Discussion
Is it possible to have two different speed limits, on the same piece of road i.e. traffic heading north is 30mph and traffic heading south is 50mph?
There's a new estate being built in Basingstoke (opposite Motts for those that know) and the limit has been dropped on the single carriageway BEFORE the roundabout where the works start the other side, but on the very same bit of road heading in the opposite direction away from the works, the limit is unchanged at 50mph?
I'm guessing the drop is because the dual carriageway the other side of the roundabout is down to one lane, traffic builds up before the roundabout and therefore people need to be going to 20mph slower in case their eyes don't work and they don't see a queue of traffic.
The limits are signed by those big temporary A-frame roadwork signs.
I've just never seen two speed limits applicable on the same stretch of road in different directions.
There's a new estate being built in Basingstoke (opposite Motts for those that know) and the limit has been dropped on the single carriageway BEFORE the roundabout where the works start the other side, but on the very same bit of road heading in the opposite direction away from the works, the limit is unchanged at 50mph?
I'm guessing the drop is because the dual carriageway the other side of the roundabout is down to one lane, traffic builds up before the roundabout and therefore people need to be going to 20mph slower in case their eyes don't work and they don't see a queue of traffic.
The limits are signed by those big temporary A-frame roadwork signs.
I've just never seen two speed limits applicable on the same stretch of road in different directions.
Different speed limits for single carriageway roads = no.
(Meaning that traffic can not pass opposingly with a different speed limit without a central reservation).
Different speed limits for either side of a dual-carriageway road = yes.
(Meaning that one direction of a carriageway separated with a central reserve can have a different limit to that of the other carriageway).
(Meaning that traffic can not pass opposingly with a different speed limit without a central reservation).
Different speed limits for either side of a dual-carriageway road = yes.
(Meaning that one direction of a carriageway separated with a central reserve can have a different limit to that of the other carriageway).
Plenty of them where I live.
Mostly it's where it's leaving a residential area and going up to NSL and the other carriageway is coming down from NSL to a residential area / traffic lights. Usually last no more than 1/2 mile though - although there is one where traffic is always bad in one direction, so has a permanent 50mph limit vs the 70mph limit on the other side.
Mostly it's where it's leaving a residential area and going up to NSL and the other carriageway is coming down from NSL to a residential area / traffic lights. Usually last no more than 1/2 mile though - although there is one where traffic is always bad in one direction, so has a permanent 50mph limit vs the 70mph limit on the other side.
Atomic12C said:
Different speed limits for single carriageway roads = no.
(Meaning that traffic can not pass opposingly with a different speed limit without a central reservation).
That's what it is. Single carriageway, no central reservation.(Meaning that traffic can not pass opposingly with a different speed limit without a central reservation).
I guess the limit is the default 50mph then?
There's a stretch of road near me where it was NSL one direction and 50mph in the other, on a single carriageway. I assumed this was due to a cock up, and in the meantime the applicable speed was whichever was posted in the direction of travel. Local council did eventually realise and replace the NSL signs with 50 about 2 years later.....
AFAIK the road in Reading which is 7.5T weight limit going up still allows 44T going down (and it's not steep/difficult - just cocked up!)
AFAIK the road in Reading which is 7.5T weight limit going up still allows 44T going down (and it's not steep/difficult - just cocked up!)
Nimby said:
.... I guess it's legal during roadworks but not otherwise.
No, not 'legal' in any case on a single-carriageway road.The reason being is that any vehicle can stop, turn around and head in the other direction and set off at the speed limit that they were last aware of.
If for example there were an 'illegal' case whereby in one direction the speed limit was 40mph and in the other it was 60mph, then a vehicle could have turned around and then travel at 60mph in a 40mph having not passed a speed limit sign.
There is also the reason that traffic on a single carriageway road expects traffic in the other direction to be at a known approach speed in order to make judgments for overtaking or making right turns at junctions.
If there are cases of differing speed limits on single-carriageway roads (without central reservation) that have been spotted around the UK in temporary road works then its a case that it has been installed incorrectly - or that the road work 'designer' has got it wrong.
Centurion07 said:
That's what it is. Single carriageway, no central reservation.
I guess the limit is the default 50mph then?
I use this road every day Centurion and there's a central reservation from the Sainsbury's roundabout to the traffic lights, passed Mott's and Basingstoke Golf club right down to the M3 junction so I don't understand what you mean.I guess the limit is the default 50mph then?
.
He means the road up from the bottom roundabout to the sainsburys roundabout.
Im still at a loss on why that road has a 30mph speed limit - you have to stop at the r/bout and the restriction on the dual carridgeway is after it - your going from a single lane road onto a single lane road - its a joke to be fair and causing massive tailbacks out of a main entry/exit route into the town.
And this is just the start - they are going to start building on the field next door at some point and that will screw up the road leaving from 6 past the lights onto a brand new ROUNDABOUT before Mott's......Because the town doesnt have enough of them already.
At least the builders are working fast on getting the road works done.....Said nobody, ever!!!!!!!
Im still at a loss on why that road has a 30mph speed limit - you have to stop at the r/bout and the restriction on the dual carridgeway is after it - your going from a single lane road onto a single lane road - its a joke to be fair and causing massive tailbacks out of a main entry/exit route into the town.
And this is just the start - they are going to start building on the field next door at some point and that will screw up the road leaving from 6 past the lights onto a brand new ROUNDABOUT before Mott's......Because the town doesnt have enough of them already.
At least the builders are working fast on getting the road works done.....Said nobody, ever!!!!!!!
Centurion07 said:
That's what it is. Single carriageway, no central reservation.
I guess the limit is the default 50mph then?
What do you mean by default? If a road is single carriageway with no signed limit the default is 30mph if there is a system of street lamps and 60 if not (for cars)I guess the limit is the default 50mph then?
stevebroad said:
What do you mean by default? If a road is single carriageway with no signed limit the default is 30mph if there is a system of street lamps and 60 if not (for cars)
Maybe he means if the temporary signage is invalid the original 50 limit applies.You now can't turn right into, of from, Beggarwood Lane, but no-one thought to tell the traffic lights so there is still the right-turn sequence which stops the A30 and nothing at all moves.
Nimby said:
stevebroad said:
What do you mean by default? If a road is single carriageway with no signed limit the default is 30mph if there is a system of street lamps and 60 if not (for cars)
Maybe he means if the temporary signage is invalid the original 50 limit applies.Considering they can't get the basic speed limit right it's no surprise they can't sort the traffic lights.
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