Vehicle speeds in Great Britain: 2001

Summary

Non-urban roads - 2001 estimates

• More than half of all cars observed at the survey sites on motorways and dual carriageways were travelling faster than the speed limit. 54 per cent of those surveyed on motorways exceeded 70 mph and 18 per cent were travelling in excess of 80 mph, while on non-urban dual carriageways, 51 percent of cars exceeded 70 mph and 13 per cent were travelling faster than 80mph.
• On non-urban single carriageway roads, 9 per cent of cars exceeded the 60 mph limit, 2 per cent travelling at 70 mph or over.
• There was a very high incidence of speeding by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) on non-urban dual and single carriageway roads. On dual carriageways 88per cent of articulated HGVs surveyed exceeded their 50 mph limit. On single carriageways 76 per cent of articulated HGVs exceeded their 40 mph limit, and 28 per cent were travelling faster than 50 mph.

Urban roads - 2001 estimates

• At survey sites on urban roads with a 30 mph speed limit 65 per cent of cars exceeded that limit, 32 per cent travelling faster than 35 mph. On 40mph roads 25 per cent of cars exceeded the limit, with 8 per cent exceeding 45 mph.
• On 40 mph roads 36 per cent of motorcycles exceeded the speed limit, with21 per cent travelling in excess of 45 mph. And 35 per cent of motorcycles travelled at over 35mph in 30mph zones.
• On urban 30 mph roads, 55 per cent of 2-axle HGVs exceeded the speed limit, 20 per cent by more than 5 mph.

Publication details

Published on 27 June 2002 by Transport Statistics