|  |  |  |  |
 
Image courtesy of Len Rogers

Road Speed Limiters (RSL's)

Introduction
In February 1992 Council Directive 62/6/EEC was issued which required certain categories of vehicle to be fitted with Road Speed Limiters. This was followed by Council Directive 92/24/EEC which set out, in the annex, the technical specifications for such limiters. These directives were then incorporated into UK legislation by amending Regulation 36 of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 by inserting sections 36A, 36B and 36C. (SI 3048/1993)

In November 2002 the European Parliament and Council issued Directive 2002/85/EC which amended the original Directive 92/6/EEC to extend the range of vehicles to which the Directive applies. The Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 have now been amended (SI 2102/2004) to incorporate these new requirements which came into effect as of the 1st January 2005.

Who is affected?
From 1 January 2007 additional vehicles will now fall into scope under the speed limiter legislation introduced in January 2005. The changes affect all goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes maximum gross weight and all passenger vehicles with 8 or more passenger seats, irrespective of weight. The relevant date for fitting speed limiters varies depending on the gross design weight of the vehicle, engine type (such as Euro III), international or national usage and the date of first registration.

Specifically affected from January 2007 are goods vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes and passenger vehicles with more than 8 seats, irrespective of weight, which were first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004, have Euro III engines approved to Directive 88/77/EEC and are used on national operations in this country.
In addition, goods vehicles first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 with a maximum gross weight between 7.5 tonnes and 12 tonnes, will have to have their existing speed limitation devices recalibrated from 60mph to 56mph.

If a vehicle has, or is required to have, a speed limiter fitted and working, then it is not permitted to use the outside lane of a three or more lane motorway. If the vehicle is required to have a speed limiter fitted but it is not working, it will be illegal to use it on the public highway under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986

Requirements
The new Speed limiter regulations apply to;

The regulations are applied depending on vehicle age as follows:

1. Vehicles first used prior to 1 October 2001 - No requirement.

2. Vehicles first used on or after 1 October 2001 up to and including 31 December 2004 - For British domestic use only will require a speed limiter set such that the vehicle speed cannot exceed:

The above will require to be fitted by 1 January 2007 if they have a Euro 3 engine with emissions approval under directive 88/77/EC.

[back to top]

Euro 2
All vehicles with Euro 2 engines are not subject to the requirements. In addition the following vehicle types DO NOT need a speed limiter as they do not have engines approved under the relevant directive, and include:

Other makes may similarly not be subject to the requirement for a speed limiter include, Vehicles first used on or after 1 January 2005: For British domestic use only these will require a speed limiter set such that the vehicle speed cannot exceed;

If used internationally then speed limiters set to this speed were required from 1 January 2005. The exemption list of engine types above does not apply to these newer vehicles.

Changes to vehicles already fitted
There are two categories of vehicles that are currently required to have speed limiters fitted by UK domestic regulations, which will need to have the set speed of the systems changed. These vehicles are;

1. Goods vehicles (with a gross design weight over 7.5t but not exceeding 12.0t, first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 October 2004) which will need to have the speed limiters reset so the current maximum set speed of 60 mph will be replaced by a reduced setting that will ensure the stabilised speed cannot exceed 90kph.

and

2. Passenger vehicles (with more than 8 passenger seats and a design weight over 7.5t and not exceeding 10.0t) which will need to have the speed limiters reset so the current set speed of 100kph will need to be reduced to a setting that will ensure that the maximum stabilised speed will not exceeding 100kph.

There are also separate provisions that apply to Passenger vehicles with over 8 passenger seats and a design weight over 10.0t gross that are already fitted with a speed limiter set at 100kph. These vehicles will not be required to have the speed limiters reset and will be able to continue with systems set at 100kph.

[back to top]

Retro-fitment to existing vehicles
There are retro-fit requirements that will apply to Goods (over 3.5t GDW) and Passenger vehicles (over 8 passenger seats - irrespective of weight) that were first registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 (inclusive).
Vehicles caught by these requirements will need to be fitted with speed limiters with effect from 1 January 2006, unless the vehicle is being used solely within the UK, in which case the requirement came into effect on 1 January 2007.

Table of Application
The following 3 tables give the requirements and C&U Regulation and paragraph applicable for Goods Vehicles, Buses and Coaches. NB In all cases, the speed is not to be set or exceed that which is stated.

Goods Vehicles

Vehicle Size
Gross Design Weight 		C&U Reg
36B 		First
Registered 		Use Diesel/LPG
Natural Gas
Date     Speed
 Petrol
3,501 Kgs to
7,500 Kgs 		Para 1A & 9 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Existing
Requirement 		90 kph
  Para 1B & 9 1st Oct 2001
to 31st Dec 2004
(Euro III or later) 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Not required  
7,501 Kgs to
12,000 Kgs 		Para 1A & 9 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Existing
Requirement 		90 kph
  Para 1B & 8 1st Oct 2001
to 31st Dec 2004
(Euro III or later) 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Existing
Requirement 		90 Kph
  Para 1 & 8 1st Aug 1992
to 30th Sept 2001 		All Existing
Requirement 		96.5 kph Existing
Requirement 		96.5 kph
12,001 > Para 2 & 9 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Existing
Requirement 		90 kph
  Para 2 & 9 1st Oct 2001 to
31st Dec 2004 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Existing
Requirement 		90 kph
  Para 2 & 9 1st Jan 1988 to
30th Sept 2001 		All Existing
Requirement 		90 kph Existing
Requirement 		90 kph
Summary As of 1st January 2008, all vehicles with diesel/LPG or Natural gas engines require a speed limiter set at 90 kph or not to exceed 90 kph depending upon age. Except 7,501 kgs to 12,000 kgs, vehicles registered between 1st August 1992 and 30th September 2001, which are set at 96.5 kph.

[back to top]


Passenger Vehicles with more than 8 Passenger Seats (Bus)

Vehicle Size
Gross Design Weight 		C&U Reg
36A 		First
Registered 		Use Diesel/LPG
Natural Gas
Date     Speed
 Petrol
Not Exceeding
5,000 Kgs 		Para 2B & 7 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		100 kph
  Para 2C & 7 1st Oct 2001 to
31st Dec 2004
(Euro III or later) 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Not
Required 		 
5,001 Kgs to
7,500 Kgs 		Para 2A & 7 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		100 kph
  Para 2C & 7 1st Oct 2001 to
31st Dec 2004
(Euro III or later) 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Not
Required 		 
7,501 Kgs to
10,000 Kgs 		Para 2 & 7 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		100 kph
  Para 2 & 7 1st Oct 2001 to
31st Dec 2004 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		100 kph
  Para 2 & 7A 1st Jan 1988 to
30th Sept 2001 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		Set speed at
100 kph
10,001 Kgs > Para 2 & 7 1st Jan 2005
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		100 kph
  Para 2 & 7A 1st Jan 1988 to
31st Dec 2004 		All Existing
Requirement 		100 kph Existing
Requirement 		Set speed
at 100 kph
Summary As of 1st January 2008, all vehicles with diesel/LPG or Natural gas engines require a speed limiter set at 100 kph or not to exceed 100 kph depending upon age.

Passenger Vehicles with more than 16 Passenger Seats (Coach)

Vehicle Size
Gross Design Weight 		C&U Reg
36A 		First
Registered 		Use Diesel/LPG
Natural Gas
Date     Speed
 Petrol
Not Exceeding
7,501 Kgs > 		Para 1 & 6 1st April 1974
and thereafter 		All Existing
Requirement 		Speed set
at 112 kph 		Existing
Requirement 		Speed set
at 112 kph
Summary All require speed set at 112 kph.

Plating and Cab Display
Regulation 70A of RTA refers to Speed limiter plates as follows:

[SI 2004/2102 The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2004 - 01/01/2005]

[back to top]


Copyright © 2007 - | Transports Friend