Speed Limits – Guidance

One of the most read items of knowledge on the Road Safety Knowledge Centre is the DfT guidance on setting local speed limits.

Speed limits should be evidence-led and self-explaining and seek to reinforce people’s assessment of what is a safe speed to travel. They should encourage self-compliance. Speed limits should be seen by drivers as the maximum rather than a target speed.

 

Traffic authorities set local speed limits in situations where local needs and conditions suggest a speed limit which is lower than the national speed limit.

 

This guidance is to be used for setting all local speed limits on single and dual carriageway roads in both urban and rural areas.

 

This guidance should also be used as the basis for assessments of local speed limits, for developing route management strategies and for developing the speed management strategies which can be included in Local Transport Plans.