Archive Website of the UK government

National speed limits for different vehicles and types of road

You must not drive faster than the speed limit for the road and your type of vehicle.

A limit of 30 miles per hour (mph) or 48 kilometres per hour (km/h) usually applies to all traffic on all roads with street lighting. This applies unless you see signs showing otherwise.

Table of national speed limits

Vans and ‘car-derived’ vans

Most vans are under 7.5 tonnes laden (loaded) weight and must follow the speed limits for goods vehicles of the same weight.

‘Car-derived’ vans weigh no more than 2 tonnes when loaded and are based on car designs, for example:

• Ford Fiesta van
• Vauxhall Astra van
• Fiat Punto van
• Peugot 207 van
• Renault Clio van
  

• Vehicle weights explained

Traffic signs for speed limits

See 'Warning, regulatory and speed limit signs' and 'Know your traffic signs' for:

• examples of the traffic signs used to show speed limits
• information on when you’ll see them on different roads

• Warning, regulatory and speed limit signs

• Know your traffic signs

Locally set speed limits

Local councils may set their own speed limits in areas where there is a particular need. For example, there could be a:

• 20 mph zone in a built-up area near a school
• 50 mph (rather than 60 mph) speed limit on a stretch of road with sharp bends

Local limits must be clearly signed.

• Speed limits - how they are set (home and community section)

Speeding fines and penalty points

Driving over the speed limit (whether national or locally set) is against the law. The minimum penalty for speeding is a £60 fine and three penalty points added to your licence.

If you already have a certain number of points on your licence, you won’t be offered a fine and you’ll have to go to court.

• Endorsements and penalty points (motoring section)

The police enforce the speed limit and may use:

• fixed or mobile speed cameras
• average speed cameras (which measure a vehicle's average speed between two points)

See ‘Cameras on motorways and trunk roads’ for more information about where speed cameras are used.

• Cameras on motorways and trunk roads

Drive to suit the conditions, not just the speed limit

THINK! It's 30 for a reason

The difference of a few miles per hour can mean the difference between life and death

• Watch a video on the consequences of speeding Opens new window

Many accidents happen when drivers are within the speed limit but driving too fast for the road conditions on the road.

Use your judgement and know when to slow down. Think carefully about the speed at which you:

• approach a bend in the road
• cross a roundabout
• approach a junction
• can safely overtake
• drive past or through roadworks
• drive in bad weather

Be particularly careful on unlit roads at night, where oncoming headlights can dazzle you.

• Driving safely at roadworks

• How to drive safely in extreme weather

Know your Highway Code

Speed limits are set out in the Highway Code. For information on safe stopping distances for different speeds and how to brake safely, follow the link below.

• Highway Code - control of the vehicle (rule 117-126)

More useful links

• What the electronic message signs on the motorway mean

• The Highway Code