Road Safety

Speed Limits

Speed is a significant factor in about one third of road accidents in the United Kingdom. This is particularly so in urban areas, where speeding vehicles can unfortunately affect the quality of life of many communities.

Speed limits are introduced to ensure greater road safety. Measures for influencing the speed of vehicles generally fall into 2 categories, legislative and physical. Speed limits fall into the first category whereas traffic calming devices would fall into the second.

Comprehensive information on the speed limits you would expect to come across on the different category of road is given in chart form in The Highway Code.

How do I set about getting a speed limit lowered, raised or extended?

If you would like a speed limit to be lowered, raised or extended, please contact the Road Safety Team. Your request will then be assessed. The police view on a change to a speed limit is important and will be sought.

Account should also be taken of the features of the road, such as its alignment, the level of activity alongside the road, the accident record and the degree of severance caused to a community by the speed of vehicles.

In urban areas, speed limits should fit into a rational and easily understood hierarchy if they are to be observed by drivers. Before deciding to change an existing speed limit the Highway Authority must consider all the relevant factors such as:

Expected accident savings
Improvement to the environment
Improvement in amenities
Reduction in public anxiety
Improved facilities for vulnerable road users
Delays to traffic
Costs of implementation
Costs of engineering measures and their maintenance
Costs of enforcement, especially where the speed limit is regarded as unreasonable by drivers

If it is considered that a change in the speed limit is warranted then a new Speed Limit Order has to be made. This involves a statutory legal process that takes approximately 9 months to complete.

If you wish to report a vandalised/missing speed limit sign, please contact the Road Safety Team.

If the road in question has a system of street lighting on it with no speed limit repeater signs the road is already subject to 30mph and as such the Highway Authority is not permitted to place 30mph repeater signs on it.

The system of street lighting in a built up area should be sufficient evidence of 30mph limit.

Contact

Road Safety Team

3rd Floor

Maritime House

1 Linton Road

Barking

IG11 8HG

Supported by Barking and Dagenham Direct:

Tel: 020 8215 3005

Fax: 020 8227 5184

Textphone: 020 8227 5755

Email: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk|