UK HGV Speed Limits: Motorway, Dual Carriageway and Other Roads
What this article covers
In Great Britain, goods vehicles have national speed limits that often sit below car limits on the same road. This page summarises the usual limits for goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight. Always obey signed limits when they are lower, and check the exact class of your vehicle if you drive lighter goods vehicles (different figures apply).
Source framing matches current GOV.UK national speed limit tables — signs and temporary limits still win when posted.
England and Wales (over 7.5t)
- Motorway — 60 mph
- Dual carriageway — 60 mph
- Single carriageway — 50 mph
- Built-up roads (street-lit unless signed otherwise) — usually 30 mph
Scotland (over 7.5t)
- Motorway — 60 mph
- Dual carriageway — 50 mph
- Single carriageway — 40 mph
- Built-up roads — usually 30 mph unless signed otherwise
If your work crosses from England into Scotland (or the reverse), the national limit for that road type can change even when the road “looks the same”.
Speed limiters
Many HGVs are fitted with a speed limiter (commonly around 90 km/h / about 56 mph for relevant categories). The limiter caps top speed — it does not mean you should sit at the pin in rain, fog, or dense traffic. Limits are legal maxima, not performance targets.
Common mistakes
- Assuming car motorway 70 mph applies to your artic
- Using England & Wales dual figures in Scotland (or the reverse)
- Ignoring a temporary works limit because “the limiter allows more”
Driver habit
Know your vehicle class and which nation you are in before the job. When in doubt, slow to the safer figure and read the signs — speeding “because everyone else does” still lands on your licence.
