Hiya
Had an interesting one this evening.
Swung by another depot on the way home to refuel and pickup some parts and whilst rediscovering their coffee machine 
I saw a couple of memos they had. Now, they must be in a different adminstrative area to us because we’ve never had any of these memos… Hmm 
One of these memos was stating that ALL 7.5t vehicles are banned from the O/S lane. It does not state the guidelines, just that all of them are. It seems a driver was caught by the police and so that is now company policy…
I had a chat with another driver there, and pointed out that as far as I understood it, if the vehicle had a limited fitted then it was banned, if not then it was ok until 2008. He didn’t know, only that a driver had been “done” and that was that.
I’m going to have to get together a list of all these “things” and put them together and keep them with my work folder, so if I do get pulled in the O/S lane then I’ve got some backup at least.
Without questioning my manager I don’t know what the local score is, and at midnight I don’t think it’s a good idea to try and get him
Having read the various bits and pieces, this is MY take on the situation; the speed limiter regs for vehicle first used on or after 01/01/2005 over 3.5 tonnes changed on 01/01/2005. Basically, vehicles exceeding that weight but equal to or less than 7 500 gvw will require speed limiters fitted and set to 100 km/h from 01/01/2005. There is an exemption for said vehicles on National journies until 01/01/2007. Vehicles in the stated class will need speed limiter fitted and set to 100 km/h by 01/01/2006 when used on international journies, vehicles first used after 2001 will have to be fitted with speed limiters set to 100 km/h by 01/01/2008. Vehicles with speed limiters fitted and set are banned from the outside lane of motorways / dual carriageways with 3 or more lanes from 01/01/2005. They’ll be easy to spot, they’ll be overtaking (or trying to) artics in lane 1 and 2 and there will be 10 miles of cars behind them as no-body will want to back off . for those that have nothing better to do the Statutory instrument is No; 3258/2004 Motorways Traffic (England & Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 and can be found here; The Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
