The M4 Motorway (Junctions 3 to 12) (Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 2019

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the M4 Motorway (Junctions 3 to 12) (Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 2019 and come into force on 25th November 2019.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations—

“the 1982 Regulations” means the Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982(1);

“the 2016 Regulations and Directions” means the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016(2); and

“carriageway”, “hard shoulder”, “motorway” and “verge” have the same meaning as in the 1982 Regulations.

Variable speed limits

3.—(1) No person shall drive a vehicle on a section of a road which is subject to a variable speed limit at a speed exceeding that indicated by a speed limit sign.

(2) A section of a road is subject to a variable speed limit in relation to a vehicle being driven along it if—

(a) the road is specified in the Schedule;

(b) the vehicle has passed a speed limit sign;

(c) the vehicle has not subsequently passed—

(i) another speed limit sign indicating a different speed limit; or

(ii) a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit is in force; and

(d) no speed restriction is in force by virtue of—

(i) an order or notice under section 14(3) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984; or

(ii) a traffic sign placed by a traffic officer pursuant to section 7 of the Traffic Management Act 2004(4).

(3) In relation to a vehicle, the speed limit indicated by a speed limit sign is the speed shown at the time the vehicle passes the sign, or, if higher, the speed limit shown by the sign ten seconds before the vehicle passed the sign.

(4) For the purposes of this regulation a speed limit sign is to be taken as not indicating any speed limit if, ten seconds before the vehicle passed it, the sign had indicated no speed limit or that the national speed limit was in force.

(5) In this regulation—

“national speed limit” has the meaning given by Schedule 1 to the 2016 Regulations and Directions and a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit is in force means a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 671 in Part 2 of Schedule 10 to the 2016 Regulations and Directions which is—

(a)

placed on or near a road; and

(b)

directed at traffic on the carriageway on which the vehicle is being driven;

“road” includes the adjacent hard shoulder and verge; and

“speed limit sign” in relation to a vehicle, means a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 670 in Part 2 of Schedule 10 to the 2016 Regulations and Directions which is—

(a)

situated on or near any part of a road specified in paragraph 1 of the Schedule; and

(b)

directed at traffic on the carriageway on which the vehicle is being driven.

Amendment of Regulations

4.—(1) The M4 Motorway (Hillingdon and Hounslow) (Speed Limits) Regulations 2002(5) are amended in accordance with this regulation.

(2) In regulation 2 (Prohibitions) at the beginning of paragraph (3) insert “Subject to regulation 2A”.

(3) After regulation 2 insert—

“2A.   Regulation 2(3) shall not apply to the driving of a motor vehicle on any lengths of road on which there is for the time being a restriction imposed under section 17(2) and (3) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 on the driving of a motor vehicle in excess of a maximum speed which is less than 60 miles per hour.”.

(4) In Part 4 of the Schedule (Roads affected by 60 miles per hour speed limit) for paragraph 11 substitute—

“11.   That length of the eastbound carriageway of the M4 Motorway from a point 239 metres west of the western end of the parapet railing of the western bridge carrying the M4 over the Junction 4 roundabout to a point 175 metres east of the eastern end of the parapet railing of the B454 Windmill Lane underbridge, a distance of approximately 8.5 kilometres.”.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport

Vere

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Transport

30th October 2019