During the last couple of weeks I have seen and also been overtaken by Vans owned by two well known utility companies.
This of course is perfectly ok and if they are driven safely, but the problem is they have stickers on the rear doors saying their maximum speed is 70mph.
Whoever has been told to fix these stickers have been miss-informed, and may I just say are leaving the Drivers at risk of being fined and collecting points on their driving licence.
The Vans in question are the Ford Transit (and larger panel vans)
and the smaller Ford Connect (Transit) Van, this one replaced the Ford Escort Van.These Vans are not CAR DERIVED therefore they must keep within the speed limits for vans which is 50mph on single track roads and 60mph on dual carrigeways (and of course motorways).
A CAR DERIVED VAN is a van named after a car and derived from a car chassis and have a maximum laden weight ot no more than 2 tonnes. This means the weight of the vehicle and the payload it is designed to be able to carry when added together do not exceed 2 tonnes.
There are very few vans that benefit from the same speed as a car, but those that do are the Ford Fiesta Van, the Vauxhall Corsa Van or the Renault Clio Van as these are named after cars and within the weight limit. This includes the old Escort Van as well. The speed limits for these are 60mph on single track roads and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways.
It is not safe for Vans or goods vehicles to be driven fast as they are able to carry heavier loads and will take longer to slow down than a car travelling at the same speeds.
National Speed Limits were set out in the Road Traffic Act of 1984
You will find them in the 2007 version Highway Code Regulation 124
So if you are driving a van or your Transport Manager has put a sticker on the rear of your company van, be careful and make sure you KNOW the correct speed limits,
or it may be you who gets the fine!
