Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain 2004

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The Department for Transport today published National Statistics of vehicle speeds in Great Britain in 2004. These statistics relate to the speeds at which drivers choose to drive in free-flow conditions generally across the road network. The latest figures show that the proportion of motorists exceeding the speed limit in 2004 changed very little from 2003 although driving in excess of the speed limit remains at a high level on all types of road.

The main features of the new statistics released today are:

On roads with 30 mph limits (built-up)

• On roads with a 30 mph speed limit 53 per cent of cars exceeded that limit compared with 58 per cent in 2003; 25 per cent travelled faster than 35 mph, the same as in 2003.


• On 30 mph roads, 24 per cent of motorcycles were travelling at more than 35 mph compared with 29 per cent in 2003.


• The survey also reveals a high incidence of speeding by heavy goods vehicles on built-up 30 mph roads: 49 per cent of 2-axle heavy goods vehicles exceeded the speed limit, 18 per cent by more than 5 mph. This is a reduction from the 2003 levels of 53 and 21 per cent respectively.

On roads with 40 mph limits (built-up)

• On 40 mph roads 27 per cent of cars exceeded the limit, with 10 per cent exceeding 45 mph, the same percentages as observed in 2003 and 2002.


• 19 per cent of motorcycles on 40 mph roads were travelling at more than 45 mph. This is the same level as in 2003.

On other roads (non-built-up)

• More than half the cars on motorways and 48 per cent of cars on dual carriageways travelled faster than the speed limit; 19 per cent were travelling faster than 80 mph on motorways, and 14 per cent on dual carriageways.


• The proportion of motorcycles travelling at more than 80 mph on motorways remained at 28 per cent in 2004; whilst on dual carriageways the proportion fell from 23 per cent to 21 per cent


• On major, non-built-up single carriageway roads, 78 per cent of articulated HGVs were exceeding their 40 mph limit (28 per cent by more than 10 mph). The average speed recorded for articulated HGVs on these roads was 46 mph, just 2 mph less than the average speed of cars (48 mph), for which the limit is 60 mph.

These figures, and further details, are published in Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain 2004, Statistics Bulletin SB(05)23 obtainable from; The Department for Transport, SR1 Branch, Zone 2/14, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR, or requests by email to roadtraff.autocou@dft.gov.uk

Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain: 2004 uses data collected at 36 sites where a 30 or 40 mph limit applies and at 62 other sites. The sites have been selected so that speeds are not seriously constrained by road layout, traffic congestion or by the proximity of speed cameras. The speeds are recorded as vehicles pass over an automatic counter and do not represent speeds over a longer distance. They do however provide an indication of compliance with speed limits.

Outside built-up areas, the normal speed limits currently in force are as follows: -

	Motorway	Dual C/way	Single C/way
Cars and Motorcycles	70	70	60
Buses and Coaches	70	60	50
HGVs (>7.5 tonnes)	60	50	40

None of the survey sites in built-up areas were subject to a speed limit lower than 30 mph.

Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk