that is what i mean about not knowing what they are talking about coffee, what chance have we got? 
I donât have a copy of the magazine handy, so I havenât read the actual article, but based on whatâs been posted hereâŚ
That may be what he intended, but itâs not what he said - he basically said that if a dual carriageway is 60 mph, then the limit for trucks over 7.5t is 40 mph; thatâs wrong.
My Highway Code (1998 edition) has a table for speed limits. The column headings are âbuilt-up areasâ, âelsewhereâ, and âmotorwaysâ. Under âelsewhereâ, there are two sub-headings - âsingle carriagewaysâ and âdual carriagewaysâ. The A38(M) is classed as a motorway, so it comes under that heading, and not the âelsewhereâ category. Therefore, as far as Iâm concerned, itâs motorway speed limits. It also has a 50 mph limit anyway (or it always used to); I canât see them setting a 30mph limit for trucks.
I,ve got to say i am in agreement with conor for the first time in ages but i am sure the case is with the blue or green roadsigns so does anyone know what colour the roadsigns are on this road?.
I was always told the distinction is that blue signs means you are on a motorway.
Coffeeholic:
Shouldnât that be 50 and not 60?
oops -should have noticed that one 
jammymutt:
I,ve got to say i am in agreement with conor for the first time in ages but i am sure the case is with the blue or green roadsigns so does anyone know what colour the roadsigns are on this road?.I was always told the distinction is that blue signs means you are on a motorway.
The signs are blue. Iâve been using it since it opened in the early 70âs. Speed limits applicable to Motorways are regardless of whether there is a central reservation or not. As Mr Flibble says, if the road is designated a Motorway, Motorway speed limits apply. The difference being that this road is subject to a blanket 50mph limit. So ALL classes of vehicles are subject to a 50 limit. (Special types and fairground convoys with a candy floss machine on the tail excepted). 
Commercial Motor printed a correction in this weeks issue ( 18 December)
it says:
Quote from Commercial Motor:
My answer to <driverâs name> question (CM, 27 November) in relation to speed limits
has elicited a number of responses, not all very flattering! This arises partly because I
did not check my answer with the statute, relying on a source which was wrong.
Secondly, as is so often the case with a short question, the nature of the road was not clear but has now been clarified.
The Hgv speed limits are as follows, Motorways, 60mph;dual carriageways when no other limit is specified, 50mph; derestricted single-carriageway roads where no other limit is specified (which I now understand is the technical definition for the A38M), 40mph.
In any case where there is a specified lowerlimit an HGV is restricted to that speed. So when a dual carriageway or motorway is restricted to, say, 50mph that limit also applies to HGVâs
which as far as I can see is correct 
although the lawyer could have used a better example at the end because the limit for HGVâs on a dual carriageway is 50mph anyway
Dennis:
Commercial Motor:
derestricted single-carriageway roads where no other limit is specified (which I now understand is the technical definition for the A38M), 40mph.
That doesnât seem right. The A38(M) is a motorway, albeit without a crash barrier. It does have a central reservation of sorts, although it is paved. My highway code doesnât make any distinction between single and dual carriageway motorways, as I posted above. If they tried to fight the prosecution, they could probably get away with âlack of intentâ. Of course, IANALâŚ
Here is a copy of an email I sent to Commercial Motor magazine last friday.
Dear Mr Christopher Over,
I am writing with regard to amended advice which you have given to a Heavy
Goods Vehicle driver who faces prosecution for driving at 47mph on the
A38(M).
Unfortunately, the amended advice which you have given is also incorrect.
In your correction, you say that the A38(M) is a âderestricted
single-carriageway road where no other limit is specifiedâ. In fact, it is
no such thing. It is a motorway.
If it were a âderestricted single-carriageway where no other limit is
specifiedâ, then the speed limit would be signed using the National Speed
Limit sign- a white roundel, bisected by a diagonal black stripe. In this
case, the limit for HGVs would be 40mph.
The A38(M) is signed using roundels which depict the figure â60â in black,
upon a white background, contained within a red prohibition circle, and the
speed limit for HGVs is therefore 60mph.
Would you please ensure that you correct your information as soon as is
possible in order to enable Mr Victor Clarke to take the appropriate action-
namely to plead not guilty to the charge.
Yours etc
Vince
Vince,
the last time I was on the A38(M) (admittedly a year or so ago) it was a 50 limitâŚ
This thing with speed limits amazes me. We are Professional drivers who should know what the limits are. I was flicking through a copy of Truck & Driver in a shop the other week and there was a full page article about lorry drivers being done for speeding on the A556 between the M56 & M6 because although itâs 2 lanes theres no central barrier and as such is a 40 limit for HGV.
Surely drivers should know this? Why moan about it when you get nicked?
I donât agree with the 40 limit for HGV either, but itâs there and as such I stick to it. The amount of abuse I get off fellow âprofessionalsâ because I dare to stick to the limit is just pathetic! However a 15 year driving record with a clean sheet is something I wish to continue.
John (sorry for the rant!)
I thought the same as you when I read the article, I couldnât see what they were maoning about.
What do they want, signs at the side of the road that say âHey Stupid, This is NOT a Dual Carriagewayâ
Next time I go down there, Iâll take notice of exactly where the END OF MOTORWAY signs are. I seem to remember they go most of the way into central Brum.
john_boy957:
This thing with speed limits amazes me. We are Professional drivers who should know what the limits are.!)
Obviously then, our training is insufficient.
Vince
john_boy957:
This thing with speed limits amazes me. We are Professional drivers who should know what the limits are.
So what is the limit, John?
Check the highway code page at:
highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103
Does the A38(M) come under âMotorwaysâ or âElsewhere - Single Carriagewaysâ?
I think in the case of the A38(M), the situation is far from clear. Iâd say that it still comes under âMotorwaysâ - the HC clearly separates âMotorwaysâ from all other roads.
I was flicking through a copy of Truck & Driver in a shop the other week and there was a full page article about lorry drivers being done for speeding on the A556 between the M56 & M6 because although itâs 2 lanes theres no central barrier and as such is a 40 limit for HGV.
In this case, thereâs no doubt. Itâs not a motorway, and itâs a single carriageway, so the limitâs 40.
I donât disagree with you about sticking to the limit; I just think that in this case, there is a problem in knowing what the limit actually is.
Breaking a speed limit knowingly, or because you simply havenât bothered to read the HC is one thing, but sticking to what you believe, in good faith, is the limit and still being prosecuted because the official literature is ambiguous is something quite different.
Denis F:
Quote from Commercial Motor:
In any case where there is a specified lowerlimit an HGV is restricted to that speed. So when a dual carriageway or motorway is restricted to, say, 50mph that limit also applies to HGVâs
[/quote]
Blimey, didnât realise this was still going on! ^^ That quote was all that i was concerned with when i first read the reply, and now itâs been clarified. I read the original answer to say that if a road is subject to a speed limit below that of the national speed limit, LGV drivers have to subtract the lower limit from the national speed limit for cars, then take the difference off their own national speed limit to work out how fast they can go! (confused?? Me too!! Read it again though, 'cos iâve said what i wanted to say!) This was clearly wrong, and the chappie has corrected himself on that. (If that was what he was saying in the first place, which it sounded to me as if he was). So, whether the A38(M) is a motorway, dual-carriageway, single-carriageway, dirt track, cart-trail or canal my original post has been answered, so thanks to all concerned!
I try very hard to stick to the speed limits ( 7.5 tonne limits for me ) and get quite annoyed at the number of bigger trucks that tailgate me at 50 on a single carriage A road.