Do these signs actually exist?

[Colonel Cupcake]

A couple of the Private Cupcakes are learning to drive.

During the practice theory tests they came across a minimum speed limit sign.

Has anyone actually seen a minimum speed limit sign and, if so, where was it?

[WosMyName]

Dartford tunnel .

[vonhosen]

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2982449

[spitfire-ian]

The A45 around Northampton has some "No Slow Vehicles" signs.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2526278,-0.8035971...

[djc206]

Yes, within the last week but I can’t for the life of me remember where it was. Helpful I know.

[CraigyMc]

Colonel Cupcake said:

A couple of the Private Cupcakes are learning to drive.

During the practice theory tests they came across a minimum speed limit sign.

Has anyone actually seen a minimum speed limit sign and, if so, where was it?

I've seen the minimum speed limit in a few tunnels. Clyde tunnel in Glasgow had them last time I drove it, for example.

[mac96]

spitfire-ian said:

The A45 around Northampton has some "No Slow Vehicles" signs.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2526278,-0.8035971...

That's an interesting one. You can drive at 25 mph provided your vehicle is able to exceed 25 mph (so you are being a knob) but not if your vehicle cannot exceed 25mph (so you are going as fast as possible). And what does 'cannot exceed' mean anyway? Cannot exceed at all, foot on floor, or cannot exceed safely? Or cannot exceed according to specifications?

[Solocle]

mac96 said:

spitfire-ian said:

The A45 around Northampton has some "No Slow Vehicles" signs.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2526278,-0.8035971...

That's an interesting one. You can drive at 25 mph provided your vehicle is able to exceed 25 mph (so you are being a knob) but not if your vehicle cannot exceed 25mph (so you are going as fast as possible). And what does 'cannot exceed' mean anyway? Cannot exceed at all, foot on floor, or cannot exceed safely? Or cannot exceed according to specifications?

I think the definition would reasonably be the same as the 25 mph requirement for motorways.

On my bike I can attain 30+ mph, so would be allowed on the road - even though I wouldn't be able to sustain that speed for any length of time, say, between two junctions. Perfectly allowed to do 20 mph along there!

[CraigyMc]

mac96 said:

spitfire-ian said:

The A45 around Northampton has some "No Slow Vehicles" signs.

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2526278,-0.8035971...

That's an interesting one. You can drive at 25 mph provided your vehicle is able to exceed 25 mph (so you are being a knob) but not if your vehicle cannot exceed 25mph (so you are going as fast as possible). And what does 'cannot exceed' mean anyway? Cannot exceed at all, foot on floor, or cannot exceed safely? Or cannot exceed according to specifications?

It is probably related to construction and use regs for things like tractors, which used to be limited to 20mph. The limit was raised to 40km/h (about 24.8mph) a few years ago so tractors won't be allowed to drive along the A45.

[mac96]

I guess common sense would apply. I suspect it would be hard to actually prosecute for it unless someone was way below 25mph in an obviously very slow vehicle!

Whole issue of minimum speed limits is surely almost impossible to enforce though especially in these days of camera only enforcement, given that weight of traffic or sudden hazards can force speeds to below the limit.

[Rompy]

I seem to remember the A45 minimum speed limit was put in to stop milk floats using the dual carriageway.

[Pica-Pica]

WosMyName said:

Dartford tunnel .

Concur. 10 mph

[CanAm]

The Queensway Mersey Tunnel used to have a minimum limit on the two central lanes. Certainly up to the 70s, but probably dropped years ago.

[Bendo]

CanAm said:

The Queensway Mersey Tunnel used to have a minimum limit on the two central lanes. Certainly up to the 70s, but probably dropped years ago.

Like most major tunnels, both Mersey tunnels have minimum speed limits signed.

[dontlookdown]

Bendo said:

Like most major tunnels, both Mersey tunnels have minimum speed limits signed.

See also Blackwall Tunnel. as I recall anyway;)

[Solocle]

Pica-Pica said:

WosMyName said:

Dartford tunnel .

Concur. 10 mph

Yep, although I didn't manage to get a photo of the minimum signs when I was driven through it on the shuttle.

If minimum speed limits are anything like maximum speed limits, then they wouldn't apply to non-motorised vehicles, anyway. It is somewhat moot with the Dartford Tunnels:

Except horses or horse drawn carriages?

[Pica-Pica]

Solocle said:

Yep, although I didn't manage to get a photo of the minimum signs when I was driven through it on the shuttle.

I remember my dad taking us on a drive through the first tunnel just after it was opened (we lived in Ashford area). I also recall that there was a shuttle bus to take cyclists through - I did wonder if that was still in place.

[Solocle]

Pica-Pica said:

I remember my dad taking us on a drive through the first tunnel just after it was opened (we lived in Ashford area). I also recall that there was a shuttle bus to take cyclists through - I did wonder if that was still in place.

Not a bus per se these days, but it is specified in legislation that there has to be a service.

[carl_w]

Pica-Pica said:

Concur. 10 mph

What does one do when there is a queue though (sometimes traffic stops in the tunnel)?

[Bendo]

carl_w said:

What does one do when there is a queue though (sometimes traffic stops in the tunnel)?

The same thing you would do anywhere else there is a queue.