Speed limits for car-derived vans on DC and NSL roads

Speed limits for car-derived vans on DC and NSL roads

Author
Discussion

aww999

Original Poster:

2,068 posts

262 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
Hi guys, I drive a Vauxhall Combo van for work which is about the same size as a medium estate car (ie much smaller than a Transit). Someone was telling me yesterday that the speed limits for *all* vans (regardless of size or vehicle weight) are 50mph on single carriageway NSL roads, and 60mph on dual carriageway roads.

I thought I had heard that large vans (over 3.5 ton if I remember rightly) were subject to lower speed limits in some instances, but small vans were equivalent to cars in the eyes of the law.
Can anyone give a definitive answer? I am not at all convinced that they are correct, but in the interests of maintaining a clean licence I would like to know the law!

aww999

Original Poster:

2,068 posts

262 months

Monday 10th August 2009
quotequote all
I just checked the plate inside the door on my van, it has two weight values but no details on what they actually are. First is 1995kg, second is 2700kg. I guess first is max laden weight, and second is max towing weight including a trailer . . . so I should be OK!

That 2000kg weight limit seems really low though, surely many passenger cars are comfortably over that when laden! Why single out heavy vans for lower limits and allow equally heavy cars to follow the normal limits?