I hate that too Willy, in fact i had a bit of a rant about it a few weeks back! See trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=893
allikat:
Next time I go down there, I’ll take notice of exactly where the END OF MOTORWAY signs are. I seem to remember they go most of the way into central Brum.
They are just after the end of the tidal-flow section (where the central barrier re-appears), under the second roundabout junction.
If you’ve got the Aston University building on the left, you’re out of the motorway section. However, I think the road is still a 50mph limit there, although it’s a number of years since I was there.
I was reading last Thursday’s (27th Nov.) Commercial Motor on Friday and came across a letter on the legal Q&A page (Page 34 if you have a copy).
A chap from Bury St. Eds. has written in, explaining that he’d just been fined £60 with three points for speeding on a section of the A38(M).
The particular section of motorway was signed as having a 60mph speed limit, as opposed to the national speed limit, and he was apparently clocked doing 46.
According to the lawyer who answered his question, as the speed limit for cars was reduced, then the speed limit for all other classes of vehicle is also reduced by the same amount. At least i think that’s what he’s trying to say, because to me it looks as though he’s got all his limits and speeds in a bit of a pickle.
Is this correct? If so I’d never realised it. I’d thought that if, for example, i was on a dual carriageway and there was a 50mph limit, i was also legally allowed to do 50 (I drive an artic btw). What this fella is trying to say is that if the speed limit is signed as 50mph, this means that the limit for cars is reduced 20mph from 70, so LGV’s speed limit is also reduced 20mph from 50 to 30! I find this hard to believe, especially as i’d travelled on a section of the A206 on Friday which is a dual carriageway signed at 40mph, did this mean i had a legal limit of 20mph??!
If anyone has a copy of the magazine, take a look. I’ve read it several times now and i’m sure that’s what he’s trying to say, but as I’ve said, the speeds that the lawyer quotes seem to be a bit hit and miss. Anybody shed any light?
Simon
(Also posted on the law forum)
Urban myth. Complete rubbish.
If that particular section of road has an M on the end (A38(M)) then it’s motorway regulations and speed limits, which in your case (unless marked otherwise and regardless of whether it’s a 3 lane carriageway or 2 lane carriageway) is 60mph. If there’s a temporary speed limit displaying a max limit of 60mph then you are still entitled to do 60mph (if you’re wagon will go that fast).
Obviously if there’s no (M) on the end then normal dual-carriageway speed limits apply (50mph).
Brgds
Speedy
Well that’s exactly what i thought Speedy, but you read the legal page of this respected transport weekly and tell me what you reckon?!
Like i said, complete rubbish. It’s a wind up.
Brgds
Speedy
Can’t see that they’d have a wind up on their legal page, but someone’s ballsed-up somewhere imho.
Roger Breaker:
Can’t see that they’d have a wind up on their legal page, but someone’s ballsed-up somewhere imho.
If I ever need a lawyer guess which one I won’t be asking 
Denis F:
If I ever need a lawyer guess which one I won’t be asking
You’ve seen it then Denis? It’ll be interesting to see what’s said next week.
Along time since I’ve been along the A38(M) but it always had a 50mph limit. However, it is effectively single carriageway.
However, the differentiation between speed limits on dual and single carriageways applies to ROADS. It does not apply to Motorways, therefore, even on a single carriageway with a posted 50 mph limit, HGV’s can still do 50.
There was recently a discussion on another driving forum (cars) where a similar question was rasied regarding a single carriageway Motorway (somewhere in Lancashire) and the definitive answer was that the speed limit was 70mph.
Someone has got this very wrong somewhere.
Easy rule of thumb:
Blue signs, all vehicles travelling in same direction divided by a central reservation = motorway so limit is 60 MPH.
Green signs multiple lanes where also both directions seperated by a central reservation AND preceeded by a Dual Carrigeway sign = 50 MPH.
Multiple lanes not preceeded by a DC sign and not having a central Reservation such as the A556 are a 40 MPH limit and treated as single carriageway.
All above limits subject to lower signed speed limits.
Roger Breaker:
Denis F:
If I ever need a lawyer guess which one I won’t be asking
yes! 
did think about writing to CM, but forgot 
did think about writing to CM, but forgot
I spoke to CM this morning, They are aware of the controversy over this and will be doing some checking and hope to clarify in this weeks issue
TruckNet UK:
I spoke to CM this morning, They are aware of the controversy over this and will be doing some checking and hope to clarify in this weeks issue
Thanks Rikki, that’s what i wanted to hear! Look forward to having it clarified.
TruckNet UK:
I spoke to CM this morning, They are aware of the controversy over this and will be doing some checking and hope to clarify in this weeks issue
I thought they might even be reading this 
this is another case of they think they know the law and decide to prosecute, even if it is’nt against the law but seems it could be, if you plead guilty to doing it, you will get done in court, sounds like they have even baffled the solicitor. for example if you dont fill in total kms on tacho at end of shift and plod decides to do you, if you pleaded guilty to it you get done even though it isnt an offence, they arn’nt gonna tell you it isnt, its up to you, same as on the spot fines,check before you pay, even the ministry men dont know every thing and they will do the same they want your money.
I had a chance to see the question and answer and the clue here is, I think, the A38(M), Aston express way in Birmingham. This bit of road is single carriageway (no central reservation) and has the option to change the direction of some of the lanes during peak times.
I am not a legal expert but that may well have been a factor in the thinking that led to the answer, all be it confusing.
Wiretwister wrote:
I had a chance to see the question and answer and the clue here is, I think, the A38(M), Aston express way in Birmingham. This bit of road is single carriageway (no central reservation) and has the option to change the direction of some of the lanes during peak times.
Yes, the A38(M) is the Aston Distressway (as BRMB always used to call it), and has the tidal-flow system. However, one lane is always kept closed between the two directions (apart from the occasional suicidal idiot who decides to use it as an extra overtaking lane), so maybe that qualifies as the “Central Reservation”?
Wiretwister:
I had a chance to see the question and answer and the clue here is, I think, the A38(M), Aston express way in Birmingham. This bit of road is single carriageway (no central reservation) and has the option to change the direction of some of the lanes during peak times.I am not a legal expert but that may well have been a factor in the thinking that led to the answer, all be it confusing.
I don’t know the road but …
the letter in CM said “a stretch of dual carriageway on the A38M off spaghetti junction” 
maybe the writer is confused by what is a dual carriageway is 
however the legal expert says " The national speed limit on a dual carriageway is 70mph, and as long as lower limits are not in force, a HGV over 7.5.tonnes is limited to 60"
which is correct for a dual carriageway
he goes on to say “If a lower limit is prescribed for the road at 60 mph then the HGV limit is 20mph less than that”
although he won’t win any prizes for Plain English - what he could be trying to say ( having read it several times ) is that if the dual carriageway has no central reservation then the speed limit is 60 for cars and 40 for trucks - which is correct as well
Denis F:
however the legal expert says " The national speed limit on a dual carriageway is 70mph, and as long as lower limits are not in force, a HGV over 7.5.tonnes is limited to 60"
Shouldn’t that be 50 and not 60? 