Just been on a speed awareness course and forgot to ask this one. Are speed limits on private roads enforceable? I've tried google and can't find a definitive answer.
Interesting question.
If the public have access through payment or otherwise it's a road under the Road Traffic Act, so you will need all relevant documents etc, but I don't know the answer to your question. Local traffic authorities set the speed limits, which I suppose means county councils or the Highways Agency. I don't know if they have the power to set them on roads that aren't theirs, it would seem strange if they did.
I imagine someone here will no doubt have an answer for you though.
Cutler v eagle star 1997 changed a lot of the laws about private places ... driving standards, insurance claims etc
I'm pretty certain speeding is on public roads only - unless a traffic order is in force - things like Airports have local traffic orders - so on those roads you can be prosecuted
Last edited by Falcata; 24th April 2017 at 22:35.
It must be something like that or racetracks would have a problem...
Yes they are - if it is deemed a public place (same for insurance, road tax etc). So a gated and fenced car park (when closed) is private. A supermarket car park when closed is usually accessible by the public and therefore the RTA applies.
Race tracks are of course not accessible to the public directly.
The days of teaching one's children to drive in the Asda car park have long gone!!
A Private Road is almost certainly accessible to the public and therefore speed limits apply
There's no certainty to it ...
a private road is more often than not, unlikely to have street lighting present .. and such street lighting is required to be prosecuted to make a 30mph zone such..
Don't get mixed up between the laws requiring insurance and a driving licence with speeding laws.
As I've said - cuttler v eagle star in 1997 changed the law. So no more teaching kids to drive in a car park etc
Also when you bump another car in Asda - you need to exchange details etc.
But that's totally different to speed limits on private roads.
So for example you could no get prosecuted for speeding around Asda car park under "exceeding the posted speed limit" legislation - but you could be prosecuted for sections 1-6 and some others of the RTA 1988. So death by dangerous, without due care, under influence of drink and drugs etc ...
But NOT for "exceeding the speed limit"
Hope that makes sense ?
Last edited by Falcata; 25th April 2017 at 09:20.
Never seen anyone stopped on the m6 toll, and the speeds people race along at it would be expected.