UK speed limits: motorway, dual carriageway and national limits
Consumer Editor
Understanding UK speed limits is essential for staying safe and avoiding fines, points, and prosecution.
While the national speed limit is 60mph on single carriageways and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways for cars, different limits apply depending on the road type and vehicle you're driving.
This legal guide explains the current UK speed limits, including national speed limits, motorway speed limits, dual carriageway speed limits, and the rules that apply to vans, motorhomes and other vehicles.
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UK speed limits at a glance
Road Type | Speed limit |
|---|---|
Built-up urban areas | 30mph (unless signs indicate otherwise) |
Single carriageway | 60mph |
Dual carriageway | 70mph |
Motorway | 70mph |
National speed limits vary depending on the type of road you're driving on. Always check roadside signs, as local authorities can impose lower limits in certain areas for safety, environmental or traffic management reasons.
UK speed limits: the law
Speed limits were first introduced in the UK in 1861 as part of the Locomotives on Highways Act, and limited vehicles to 10mph.
The Locomotive Act 1865 reduced this to just 4mph in the country and an agonising 2mph in the city!
Thankfully, things have moved on a bit since then and today UK car speed limits are generally 30mph in urban areas, 60mph on main single-carriageway roads, and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways.
There are exceptions, however, and many speed limits depend on the type of vehicle. For example, most vans are only allowed to travel at 60mph on dual carriageways and 50mph on national-speed-limit single carriageway roads. As well as this, caravans of any type are only allowed to drive at 30mph in built-up areas.
It’s important to remember that speed limits should be treated as an absolute maximum – it’s not always safe to drive at this speed in all conditions.
The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to your licence. If you clock up 12 or more penalty points within three years, you could be disqualified from driving.
UK national speed limits for different roads
Type of vehicle | Built-up areas | Single carriageways | Dual carriageways | Motorways |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans* and dual-purpose vehicles | 30mph | 60mph | 70mph | 70mph |
Cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles towing caravans or trailers | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph |
Motorhomes or motor caravans (under 3.05 tonnes max unladen weight) | 30mph | 60mph | 70mph | 70mph |
Motorhomes or motor caravans (over 3.05 tonnes max unladen weight) | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph |
Buses, coaches and minibuses (under 12m overall length) | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph |
Buses, coaches and minibuses (over 12m overall length) | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph |
Goods vehicles (under 7.5 tonnes max laden weight) | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 70mph (60mph if articulated or towing trailer) |
Goods vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes max laden weight) in England and Wales | 30mph | 50mph | 60mph | 60mph |
Goods vehicles (over 7.5 tonnes max laden weight) in Scotland | 30mph | 40mph | 50mph | 60mph |
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National speed limits
The national speed limit is 70mph on motorways and dual carriageways, and 60mph on single carriageways for cars and motorcycles, unless signs indicate otherwise.
In built-up areas, the default speed limit is usually 30mph, although some roads may have lower limits such as 20mph. The national speed limit sign is a white circular sign with a black diagonal stripe.
What is the motorway speed limit?
The motorway speed limit is 70mph for cars and motorcycles unless a lower limit is displayed on signs.
Variable speed limits may be enforced on smart motorways to help manage traffic flow and improve safety. Drivers should always follow the speed shown on overhead gantry signs.
What is the dual carriageway speed limit?
The speed limit on a dual carriageway is 70mph for cars and motorcycles.
However, lower limits apply to some vehicle types, including vans towing trailers, buses and goods vehicles. Always check road signs, as local restrictions may reduce the limit.
What is the single carriageway speed limit?
The speed limit on a single carriageway road is 60mph for cars and motorcycles unless signs indicate a lower limit.
Many rural roads are subject to the national speed limit, but road conditions, visibility and hazards may mean it is unsafe to travel at the maximum permitted speed.
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Fixed speed limits
Fixed speed limits are the most common kind of speed limit.
These are usually identified by a number within a red circle on road signs entering the speed limited area – such as a ‘30’ when entering an urban area.
Outside 20, 30, 40 or 50mph zones, the majority of UK roads are classed as ‘national speed limit’, denoted by a grey, circular sign with a single, black, diagonal stripe through it.
For cars, 'national speed limit' means a limit of 60mph on single carriageway roads and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways.
Fixed speed limits are often enforced by fixed ‘Gatso’ speed cameras or temporary camera vans positioned in speeding hotspots.
The most serious speeding offences end up in court and could result in a hefty fine or even a driving ban.
Local speed limits
Local councils can introduce their own speed limits – although these must be clearly signed. Look for signs featuring a number within a red circle.
In areas where vulnerable road users such as children and cyclists are frequently found, a 20mph limit is often enforced.
These could be on small residential roads or near schools, and are often enforced by traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and chicanes to physically slow cars down.
Research from 2019 found that 20mph speed limits are only proving effective in areas that also have speed bumps.
On single lane carriageways with sharp bends, local councils can enforce a 50mph limit rather than the usual 60.
Variable speed limits
Variable speed limits are increasingly being used on so-called ‘smart motorways’ across the UK.
These monitor traffic flow and can make adjustments to reduce congestion when required – for example, by operating the hard shoulder as a live traffic lane, or introducing a temporary speed limit when there’s congestion ahead.
This variable speed limit is displayed on the gantries across motorways, and usually enforced by average speed cameras behind the signs.
They can be introduced for safety reasons, such as during roadworks or if there’s a stranded vehicle ahead, or to slow down traffic and ease congestion further up the motorway.
Variable speed limits are popular on the UK’s busiest motorways, including the M25, M1 and M6.
The penalty for breaking a variable speed limit is the same as for breaking a fixed one.
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Minimum speed limits
Minimum speed limits are rare in the UK, but they do exist in places where going too slowly can cause increased congestion or high risk of a crash, such as in tunnels.
They’re marked by a blue, circular sign containing the minimum speed limit, while the end of a minimum speed limit is signalled by the same sign with a red diagonal line through it.
Although there isn’t an official minimum speed limit on most motorways, travelling too slowly can be considered dangerous and you might attract the attention of the police.
In this case, you’d usually be let off with a verbal warning, but you could be prosecuted for careless driving.
Are speed limiters a legal requirement?
It’s a legal requirement for speed limiters to be fitted to vehicles with more than eight passenger seats, such as buses, coaches and limousines, as well as goods vehicles with a maximum laden weight of more than 3.5 tonnes.
They usually work by restricting the fuel supply to the engine when the vehicle reaches its maximum speed, and mean some vehicles aren’t capable of reaching or breaking speed limits.
Many fleet operators also fit them in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy.
Most manufacturers are also now offering manual speed limiters, which drivers can set themselves. They’re a useful way to ensure you don’t unintentionally break the limit in, for example, average speed zones.
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What speed limit applies to vans?
The speed limit for a van depends on its weight and the type of road it is travelling on.
For most vans up to 7.5 tonnes:
- Built-up areas: 30mph
- Single carriageways: 50mph
- Dual carriageways: 60mph
- Motorways: 70mph
Some car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles with a maximum laden weight of up to two tonnes are allowed to follow the same limits as cars.
What speed limit applies to motorhomes?
The speed limit for a motorhome depends on its maximum unladen weight.
For motorhomes with an unladen weight not exceeding 3.05 tonnes, the same limits as cars apply:
- Built-up areas: 30mph
- Single carriageways: 60mph
- Dual carriageways: 70mph
- Motorways: 70mph
For heavier motorhomes exceeding 3.05 tonnes unladen:
- Built-up areas: 30mph
- Single carriageways: 50mph
- Dual carriageways: 60mph
- Motorways: 70mph
Motorhome drivers should also look out for local restrictions and lower posted speed limits.
UK speed limits FAQs
There is no single national speed limit in the UK. Rules vary according to road and vehicle type, and in some cases, by country. For example, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Scotland are limited to drive at 40mph on single carriageways, whereas the same vehicles can drive up to 50mph in England and Wales.
The highest speed limit in the UK is 70mph, this applies to cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles on motorways and dual carriageways. The same vehicles can drive at a maximum speed of 60mph on single carriageways.
Speed limits on many dual carriageways fall below 70mph. Local councils can set the reduced limits for the safety of drivers and other road users, although these must be clearly signed.
There is no minimum speed limit that applies to all UK motorways. Instead, minimum speed limits are signalled with a blue circular sign and a number in white. Signs at the end of minimum speed limit zones feature the same blue circle and white number, with an added red diagonal line.
While there is no law for driving too slowly, the police can charge you for “driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users”.
This CD30 endorsement carries 3 to 9 penalty points.
All speed limits in the UK, both national and locally set, are absolute – you can be charged for going just 1mph over them.
However, research from last year suggests some discretion is used and that the vast majority of speed cameras will only be activated when driving 10% above the limit, plus 2mph.
There are no exceptions where a non-emergency vehicle can break speed limits on UK roads.
The maximum speed limit in the UK is 70mph. Cars, motorcycles, car-derived vans and dual-purpose vehicles can travel at this speed on motorways and dual carriageways.
Dual carriageways feature physically separated lanes, with green rather than blue signs. They can also be used by cyclists.
Look out for signs reading ‘Dual carriageway ahead’.
Motorways also feature a central reserve or barriers between lanes, but come with their own distinguishing features. All motorway junctions are numbered, motorway signs are blue where dual carriageway signs are green, and all motorways are named with an ‘M’ followed by a number.
Look out for blue signs with images of a road and overhead gantry at the start of motorways and the same image with a red diagonal line at the end of a motorway.
Driving at 40mph in a 30mph zone will see you charged a minimum penalty of a £100 fine and 3 penalty points. If you clock up 12 or more penalty points within three years you could be disqualified from driving.
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Speeding in the UK - FAQs
In the UK, the speed limit for a 3.5 ton van is 70mph on motorways, 60mph on dual carriageways, and 50mph on single carriageways. However, it is important to note that these speed limits can be affected by other factors such as the type of road and the local council.
If you are driving a 3.5 ton van on an A road, then the speed limit will most likely be 60mph. On B roads, the speed limit is usually 50mph, and on C roads it is usually 40mph. For all other roads, it’s important to check the local signage.
Vans are limited to 62mph for a variety of reasons. The first is that vans are generally larger and heavier than other types of vehicles, making them less agile and less able to handle the high speeds that lighter cars can achieve. Vans also have higher centres of gravity than other vehicles, which can make them more prone to rollover accidents at higher speeds.
In addition, most vans are not designed to reach speeds of more than 62mph. This means that their brakes and engine components may not be able to handle the strain of going faster. Vans also often have large windows, which can create air resistance that can limit the speed at which a van can safely travel.
Finally, 62 mph is the speed limit set by many manufacturers for vans due to safety and speed limits.
The speed limit for a van in the UK is 70mph on motorways, 60mph on dual carriageways, and 50mph on single carriageways. If you are driving a van on an A road, then the speed limit will most likely be 60mph. On B roads, the speed limit is usually 50mph, and on C roads it is usually 40mph. For all other roads, it’s important to check the local signage.
Speed limits for vans in the UK are 70mph on motorways, 60mph on dual carriageways, 50mph on single carriageways, and on C roads it is usually 40mph. Always check the road signs for other information.
Speed limits for vans and cars are broadly the same up to 50mph speed limits. Speed limits for vans in the UK are 70mph on motorways, 60mph on dual carriageways, 50mph on single carriageways, and on C roads it is usually 40mph. However, you should always check the road signs for other information.
The general rule for getting a speeding ticket, is if you exceed the speed limited by ‘10% plus 2mph’. However, the fact remains that it is illegal to drive at 1mph over the speed limit and you can still be prosecuted if its deemed dangerous.
Yes, the maximum speed limit for a van on a UK motorway is 70mph. However, if you are towing a trailer, then this limit is dropped to 60mph.
Car-derived vans are a type of van that is based on the same platform as cars, and are typically designed to weigh no more than two tonnes when fully loaded.
They usually look similar to cars, but without rear windows or seats. Popular examples include Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Fiesta vans.
Because these generally drive the same way as cars, they are allowed to follow the same speed limits as standard cars.
Be careful: if you’re not sure whether a van you’re driving is car-derived, check the log book (V5). The ‘body type’ section will tell you whether it’s a car-derived van.
Most vans are not car-derived, and subject to lower speed limits than cars. This includes Ford Transits and the smaller Transit Connect.
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