50 MPH repeaters?

[vengeancedemon]

A local stretch of mostly dual carriageway has just been downgraded from 60 to 50 mph.

 

 

Now, there are certainly on one direction ( I haven't yet been both ways on this road)

the Dustbin size 50 signs indicating the start of the limit but No repeaters are visible.

 

I am sure it is a legal requirement and that if say nicked for doing eg 58 mph

 

 

then a prosecution could not go ahead as a possible defence would be joined this A road and no visible signs so assumed 60 mph.

 

 

I would be grateful for any observations,

 

 

and no, I have not been nicked,

 

 

its just our local authority are being increasingly slip shod about traffic management

[renegadeimp]

Check at entry to the road. The speed limit should be posted. Usually its a no waiting lane to join, unless its a crossroads across the carriageway.

[i hate bailiffs]

If it was a dual carriageway with street lights but there were no signs it would be 30 mph unless stated otherwise with repeaters

[vengeancedemon]

No street lights, part dual carriageway and part non, My original question was are not repeater signs a legal requirement and what is position if no repeaters and joining from a point between start and finish signs what is requirement if no visible restrictions ABD web suggests that repeaters are a legal must

[fletch70]

My understanding is that there is no legal requirement for repeaters however if you can get onto the road without seeing a speed limit sign that would be a defence, however , as we are the most watched society I would not suggest trying to get out of this by not being truthful.

[Raykay]

If it is an unlit road, and not NSL, or a lit road and not a 30 mph limit, it needs repeaters.

[Tony P]

Repeater sign maximum distance apart requirements vary according to speed limit, carriageway type and sign placings.

 

See here (about a quarter way down) -

 

http://www.abd.org.uk/speed_limit_signs.htm

[vengeancedemon]

Yes thank you for that, it clarifies the requirements. And just to also clarify, my comment about joining the main road and there being no repeaters to indicate speed limit was a theoretical one, It would make an interesting case in the court that I sit in. So it would seem that as the repeaters have not (yet) been installed the start speed limit could be unenforceable?

[Aretnap]

If joining the main road from a road of a different speed limit there should be terminal speed limit signs where the limit changes (presumably on the side road at or just before the junction), regardless of the presence of repeaters on the main road.

 

The law requires repeaters "at regular intervals" and if the road didn't the limit would be unenforceable regardless of where you joined the road from. However AFAIK the law doesn't define what regular intervals are. So a short section of 50mph road probably wouldn't require repeaters - a longer one would. The distances referred to on the ABD page come from a DfT guidance document which isn't part of the law. They might (or might not) be given some weight by the court when deciding whether or not the repeaters were adequate.

[vengeancedemon]

Actually, it's all rather academic now It seems having been down the road today, that the repeaters have now been installed well after the Main signs, so I suppose it is now correctly signed but many thanks for opinions

[ericsbrother]

that is quite common. Often the TMO isnt in place when the signs go up but they are getting things ready for the relevant date and if people drive at the lower speed then they are doubly happy. they did a lot of this on the A25 some years ago and apart from having to cancel every speeding ticket issued after the signs went up but before the court case the judge looking at the case before him had rather strong words to say about the police's keeness on bringing a prosecution they could never win.