Speed Limiter Directive | Motoring discussion | Back Room Forum

What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Mon 26 May 2003 10:17

Speed Limiter Directive - Flat in Fifth

The intention is to inform not to generate another anti EU / Government rant, not that that will stop us but....

Source Journal IRTE (sorry can't bring myself to call it SOE)

EU directive 2002/85/EC will make limiters compulsory on all vehicles > 3.5t gvw, cutting legal maximum to 56mph.

At present the EU limit is 12t gvw but the UK has always gone further demanding limiters on trucks > 7.5t gvw.

Buses and coaches do not escape. Those with more than 8 passenger seats, irrespective of gvw will need a limiter restricting top speed to 100kph (62mph) Limiters at present only req'd in UK on PCV >7.5t gvw.

For both goods & passenger vehicles new EU legislation will apply to new vehicles reg'd on/after Jan 1 2005.

retrofit req'd by Jan 1 2006/2007 if vehicle has euro3 engine and used for international/domestic work appropriately.

Apparently most Euro 3 7.5 tonners are already fitted with limiters but "hardly any are set to the 85km/h necessary to satify the new law's 'cannot exceed 90 km/h' requirement"

Derogation by a max of three years is allowed and UK DfT intends to use the full allowance and introduce the legislation in "the least burdensome way possible." DfT also questioning the need for limiters and that the selection of the speed means that light vehicles will be limited to the same as heavier ones and dangerous bunching will occur.

Informal tests so far show fuel savings of ~34%

So we now have the prospect of Mercedes Sprinters 6tgvw, 156 bhp limited to 56mph. Foot to the floor brain in neutral.

We are not amused.

Ok all right.. go on then.... rant away!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Tue 27 May 2003 17:35

Speed Limiter Directive - SteveH42

My main thought about this would be how accurate the limiters would be. I've just had a rather aggravating journey down the A1M from Durham to where it becomes the M1 at Leeds. Most of the road is only 2 lanes and there seemed to be quite a lot of trucks out today. Most of the journey was spent crawling at about 60 in the outside lane behind a string of cars being held up by one truck edging past another with a minute speed advantage. This is stupid, dangerous and very annoying. If they are going to do speed limiting without causing lots of holdups and accidents where traffic is always slowing down then they either need to ensure the limits are the same for all the affected vehicles (satellite or roadside transponder?), that major roads are 3 lanes wide so other vehicles have a way past these blockages, or implement some sort of 'turbo' button where a driver can temporarily disable the limiter to overtake. This last option would have to be carefully policed though to prevent abuse.

Of course, a better option may be to develop a network of truck-carrying trains that will allow longer distance freight to be taken off the motorways and taken near their destinations faster and more safely.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Wed 28 May 2003 00:02

Speed Limiter Directive - Richard Turpin

"Truck carrying trains." Hear Hear. About flipping time. It works under the channel, why not North South in the UK? (Or even East West?)

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Wed 28 May 2003 07:40

Speed Limiter Directive - SteveH42

It also works well on the continent. I believe the Swiss have an extensive network of these trains. The main trouble over here is that our railways were built to a smaller loading gauge than most other countries - i.e. they can run wider and taller trains than us. On existing routes, it may be necessary to raise some bridges etc to fit a truck and a flat through at once.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Ask Honest John

Sell Your Car

Real MPG

Fuel Calculator