What are the speed limits for wide loads on a motorway?
I was on the m4 in Wales earlier, doing a steady 56mph, when 2 Kings Heavy haulage motors passed me.
They had wide loads on, complete with placards, flashing beacons and an ■■■■■■ vehicle behind. They were taking up lanes 2 and 3. is this normal/allowed?
Yep crack on 
, although strictly speaking encroaching on the 3 rd lane is a bit Norty .
Only the stgo loads are reduced speed limits .
Well where else can they go? It wouldn’t be a wide load really if it didn’t use two lanes!
Typically they are not speed restricted. Only stuff that falls into STGO categories will have a limitation applied by the police.
No one would raise an issue if an HGV moved into the outside lane to overtake a wide load. It’s not written into legislation but I can’t imagine anyone ever being prosecuted for it - Build up of traffic behind 100 HGV’s would cause chaos if they were not allowed to overtake.
stagedriver:
Well where else can they go? It wouldn’t be a wide load really if it didn’t use two lanes!Typically they are not speed restricted. Only stuff that falls into STGO categories will have a limitation applied by the police.
No one would raise an issue if an HGV moved into the outside lane to overtake a wide load. It’s not written into legislation but I can’t imagine anyone ever being prosecuted for it - Build up of traffic behind 100 HGV’s would cause chaos if they were not allowed to overtake.
ok. calm down 
Ive just never been overtaken by 2 escorted wide loads taking up lanes 2 and 3, holding up traffic.
Just an observation ■■
stagedriver:
No one would raise an issue if an HGV moved into the outside lane to overtake a wide load. It’s not written into legislation but I can’t imagine anyone ever being prosecuted for it -
it is actually written in , that HGV’s cannot use the 3rd lane except to pass an obstruction.
if the wide load is not under STGO rules they are they same as every other truck and operate under C&U regulations the same as every other truck - so 56mph is totally legal- if your doing 52mph and an obstruction to them they are totally within their rights to pass you and encroach onto lane 3 to do so
I wish the general public (and some lorry drivers) would realise just because they have a flashing ■■■■■■ van, it’s not illegal to overtake them.