Final guidance covering letter

The Chief Executive
Local Authorities in England
Highways Agency

Mark Magee
Head of Speed Policy Branch
Zone 2/13
Road User Safety Division
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DR

Direct line: 0207 944 8818
Fax: 0207 944 9618
GTN: 3533 8818

mark.magee@dft.gsi.gov.uk
website: www.dft.gov.uk

August 2006

New guidance on setting local speed limits

The attached DfT Circular 1/06 supersedes the guidance on setting local speed limits set out in Circular Roads 1/93, which is hereby cancelled.

Consistent with your duty in respect of road safety, you will wish to continue to focus the use of speed management measures, including more appropriate speed limits, or a combination of these methods, on those roads or routes with the most pressing problems of collisions and injuries, or where there is a widespread disregard for current speed limits. However, in line with the announcement by the Secretary of State for Transport on 15 December 2005, you are requested to formally review the speed limits on your 'A' and 'B' roads in accordance with this new guidance, and implement any necessary changes, by 2011.

The new guidance should also be used as the basis for future assessments of local speed limits, for developing route management strategies, and for developing the speed management strategies required as part of the Local Transport Plan process.

You may be aware that the Department has been investigating how best to facilitate the provision of in-vehicle speed limit information to drivers.  This is likely to involve the creation of an electronic national speed limit database, either by Government or commercial mapmakers.  In reviewing your speed limits you are therefore encouraged to record them electronically, preferably using GIS based software.

The Department intends to monitor and review the content and usefulness of the new guidance in light of experience and future policy developments. In the meantime any questions should be addressed to the Department's Speed Management Branch:

Speed Management Branch
Zone 2/13
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
Telephone: 0207-944 8818/2058/2252

Yours faithfully

Mark Magee