I posted this link on another thread but thought it would make good bedtime reading for insomniacs 
Good historical and interesting read.
Cheeers Dave.
Well it’s 1 am and I’ve just read the first 4 pages, 1971 lorries were restricted to 60 mph, that can’t be right can it? I can remember there being no limit in the early 60’s, but late 60’s there was a limit and there certainly when I started as a drivers mate in 1970 the limit was 60 mph. anyone else have views on this, come on Malc.
I’ll read the rest tomorrow, good read.
Dieseldogsix:
Well it’s 1 am and I’ve just read the first 4 pages, 1971 lorries were restricted to 60 mph, that can’t be right can it? I can remember there being no limit in the early 60’s, but late 60’s there was a limit and there certainly when I started as a drivers mate in 1970 the limit was 60 mph. anyone else have views on this, come on Malc.I’ll read the rest tomorrow, good read.
I read it differently.
Meanwhile the maximum speed was
increased in 1957 to 30 mph and in 1967 to 40 mph
And then after the motorways were built the speeds of trucks were raised to 60mph.
However, when the manufacturers
responded by building more powerful vehicles,
it was deemed necessary in 1971 to place a 60 mph
limit on heavy lorries.
Accordingly in 1984 there was an upwards
adjustment of many goods vehicle speed limits; the
limits for heavy lorries were now 40 mph on singlecarriageway
roads, 50 on dual-carriageways and 60
on motorways.
and compulsory
fitting of speed limiters (1992) to prevent speeds in
excess of 60 mph by lorries over 7.5 tonnes and 56
mph by those over 12 tonnes gross weight.
I enjoy reading about how it used to be, and it worries me that I was already driving when so many of these “recent” changes came into affect
Hi Malc, it was the motorway speed limit I was refering to, I’m sure it was capped at 60 long before 71.