Police slowed dual carriageway down to use a speed trap

[Wolvreen]

Stuck up a 50 sign on a dual carriageway, by an exit road, and then parked police car on same road bridge about 50 yards away. No cones no roadwork, etc. No sign to say 50 limit is over.

Is this legal?

I’ve never seen anything as aggressive as this before.

Do you know any good legal advice people?

[Canon_Fodder]

OP you've come to the right place for top class legal advice

My initial opinion on this matter is that yes, in general, the police are allowed to park on bridges

[Wolvreen]

But can they slow a road down just for a speed trap?

[Roofless Toothless]

I can remember when someone clouted the roadside armco barrier on a dual carriageway near me. It was severely weakened, though you would never guess to look at it. A temporary speed limit was put in place.

This is only one of a myriad of reasons a speed limit might be put in force and you would not have a clue why when driving past. Why does the OP assume the police are just playing games?

[Earthdweller]

Wolvreen said:

But can they slow a road down just for a speed trap?

No

[dundarach]

Why does it actually matter?

It's not as though they've not told you, it's hardly 'bait car' is it.

I know 'legal etc.' and 'rights man' and 'entrapment' and 'freedums' and everything else...

But just let it go, do (50) like in the big circle and move on.

(sorry feeling grumpy, I'm okay hun however)

[DavePanda]

Who says the Police put the sign up? They don't carry speed limit signs around with them

[Wolvreen]

It wasn’t a normal 50 speed limit because there was no sign afterwards to say national speed limit. It just went on for about 6 miles. There was no actual reason for 50. I understand what you are saying about unexpected things causing the 50, but still.

[Wolvreen]

The 50 sign was at the laziest position just at the exit road.

[littleredrooster]

The Police can close lanes/roads and/or direct traffic but cannot impose arbitrary 50 limits. They do not carry speed limit signs around with them. If there was a valid traffic order in place for the limit, they can choose wherever they like to enforce that limit.

[the tribester]

Wolvreen said:

Stuck up a 50 sign on a dual carriageway, by an exit road, and then parked police car on same road bridge about 50 yards away. No cones no roadwork, etc. No sign to say 50 limit is over.

Is this legal?

I’ve never seen anything as aggressive as this before.

Do you know any good legal advice people?

Where to start..........

[Wolvreen]

Is there a way of finding out if there was a legal traffic order for that time on the road?

[Earthdweller]

Wolvreen said:

Is there a way of finding out if there was a legal traffic order for that time on the road?

Yes

Do a google search or ring the traffic management dept of the local authority and ask them

[xx99xx]

Surely if there was no sign indicating end of temporary limit (after 6 miles of 50 zone), you'd assume the 50 limit still applied? So what's the problem? Were you doing more than 50 and think they may have 'got' you?

[Drumroll]

Wolvreen said:

It wasn’t a normal 50 speed limit because there was no sign afterwards to say national speed limit. It just went on for about 6 miles. There was no actual reason for 50. I understand what you are saying about unexpected things causing the 50, but still.

So you know for a fact there was no reason for this 50MPH sign?

[covboy]

xx99xx said:

Surely if there was no sign indicating end of temporary limit (after 6 miles of 50 zone), you'd assume the 50 limit still applied? So what's the problem? Were you doing more than 50 and think they may have 'got' you?

Playing Devils Advocate, should there not be repeater signs for the 50mph limit at required spacing distances ?

[DiproJanuary]

You’d have to look it up, but there’s a lot of regulation around correct use/signage/placement of speed limit signs (as well as the proper order in place for it to be in force, for example a traffic regulation order). If not done correctly it can render any subsequent prosecutions invalid.

[edthefed]

OP

What evidence have you that it was the Police who put up the sign in the first place ?

[GroundZero]

A speed limit is only enforceable by the police if there has been a successful TTRO or a TRO application processed by the road authority.
TRO = traffic regulation order
TTRO = temporary traffic regulation order

This will also require correct (legal) signage.

If all that is in place then the police can enforce the posted speed limit. If not then take any charges against you to court where you will likely 'win', assuming you were not exceeding the national speed limit (if that is what the road is prior to the new limit of 50mph).

[Dr Jekyll]

GroundZero said:

A speed limit is only enforceable by the police if there has been a successful TTRO or a TRO application processed by the road authority.
TRO = traffic regulation order
TTRO = temporary traffic regulation order

This will also require correct (legal) signage.

If all that is in place then the police can enforce the posted speed limit. If not then take any charges against you to court where you will likely 'win', assuming you were not exceeding the national speed limit (if that is what the road is prior to the new limit of 50mph).

There is an intriguing argument that providing the TRO or TTRO has been processed, the national speed limit doesn't apply on that road any more. EG someone doing 90 can only be boked for exceeding the 50 not the NSL as well.

Which would mean that if the 50 is unenforceable due to incorrect signage they can't book you for exceeding the NSL either.