United Kingdom 30mph speed limit reminder sign

In the UK

Highway Code ''The Highway Code'' is a set of information, advice, guides and mandatory rules for road users in the United Kingdom. Its objective is to promote road safety. The ''Highway Code'' applies to all road users including pedestrians, horse riders ...

, a built-up area is a settled area in which the

speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expre ...

of a

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

is automatically 30 mph (48 km/h). These roads are known as 'restricted roads' and are identified by the presence of street lights.

History

In 1930, the concept of specific regulation for roads within built-up areas appears. It defines the road as a road within built-up area if some system of street lighting exists at less than 200 yards (183 meters) from that road, unless decided other way by the local authority and written on traffic signs. The

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, which provided powers to regulate or restrict traffic on UK roads, in the interest of safety. It superseded some earlier legislation, including the majority of ...

is the basis of the current law. In 2018, mainland UK became a member of the

Vienna convention on road traffic The Convention on Road Traffic, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by establishing standard traffic rules among the co ...

which consider that the concept of built-up area should be defined by the domestic legislation.

Legal definition

In August 2006, the Department for Transport issued new guidance relating to speed limits. It states that: "Street lighting" is further defined as follows: To avoid confusion that could arise if some 30 mph zones were 'street-lit' and some were not, DfT guidance goes onto say: This has led to the conclusion that: British Standards on "Road Lighting" are contained in the following documents: BS EN13201-1-2004; BS 5489:1:2003

Legislation

Most road traffic law pertaining to speed limits is contained in the

(RTRA 1984). Other relevant legislation includes the

Highways Act 1980 The Highways Act 1980 (1980 c.66) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom dealing with the management and operation of the road network in England and Wales. It consolidated with amendments several earlier pieces of legislation. Man ...

, where Sections 90A-F cover road humps and Sections 90G-I cover other traffic-calming works. Part VI of the RTRA 1984 deals specifically with speed limits, with Sections 81–84 dealing with different speed limits and the speed-limit order-making process.

Highway Code in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code of Northern Ireland has only three references to the "built-up area" and does not define it. In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code forbids the use of the horn within built-up area between 11h30 and 19h, except in case of danger, consistently with article 28 of the Vienna convention. In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code forbids speeds higher than 30 mph in built-up areas.The Official Highway Code for Northern Ireland
Retrieved 3 December 2022

References

External links

Department for Transport: DfT Circular 01/2006, Setting Local Speed Limits

Dept. Of Transport: Manual for Streets (2007)British Stands: Road Lighting
{{DEFAULTSORT:Built-Up Area (Highway Code) Road transport in the United Kingdom