Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the M6 Motorway (Junctions 10a to 13)(Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 2015 and come into force on 9th February 2015.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations-

"the 1982 Regulations" means the Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982(2);

"the 2002 Regulations" means the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002(3);

"carriageway", "hard shoulder", "motorway" and "verge" have the same meaning as in the 1982 Regulations.

Variable speed limits

3.-(1) No person shall drive a vehicle on a section of a road which is subject to a variable speed limit at a speed exceeding that indicated by a speed limit sign.

(2) A section of a road is subject to a variable speed limit in relation to a vehicle being driven along it if-

(a)the road is specified in the Schedule;

(b)the vehicle has passed a speed limit sign; and

(c)the vehicle has not subsequently passed-

(i)another speed limit sign indicating a different speed limit; or

(ii)a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit is in force.

(3) In relation to a vehicle, the speed limit indicated by a speed limit sign is the speed shown at the time the vehicle passes the sign, or, if higher, the speed limit shown by the sign ten seconds before the vehicle passed the sign.

(4) For the purposes of this regulation a speed limit sign is to be taken as not indicating any speed limit if, ten seconds before the vehicle passed it, the sign had indicated no speed limit or that the national speed limit was in force.

(5) In this regulation-

"national speed limit" has the meaning given by regulation 5(2) of the 2002 Regulations and a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit is in force means a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 671 in Schedule 2 to the 2002 Regulations which is-

"road" includes the adjacent hard shoulder and verge;

"speed limit sign" in relation to a vehicle, means a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 670 in Schedule 2 to the 2002 Regulations which is-

Regulation 3(2)(a)

SCHEDULETHE SPECIFIED ROADS

1.  The specified roads are-

(a)that length of the northbound carriageway of the M6 beginning at a point which is 75 metres after marker post 204/1A and 25 metres before marker post 204/2A and ending at the start of the southern edge of the bridge carrying Ash Flats Lane over the M6;

(b)that length of the southbound carriageway of the M6 beginning at the start of the southern edge of the bridge carrying Ash Flats Lane over the M6, and ending at marker post 204/1B;

(c)the carriageways of the northbound slip roads;

(d)the carriageways of the southbound slip roads;

(e)the linking carriageways.

2.  Any reference in this Schedule to-

(a)the "M" followed by a number is a reference to the motorway known by that name;

(b)the letter "A" followed by a number is a reference to the road known by that name;

(c)a junction followed by a number is a reference to the junction of the M6 of that number.

3.  In this Schedule-

"on-slip road" means a slip road intended for the use of traffic entering the M6;

"off-slip road" means a slip road intended for the use of traffic exiting the M6;

"linking carriageways" is a reference to a carriageway linking part of the M6 to another part of that motorway or to another motorway.

4.  The northbound slip roads are-

(a)the on-slip roads which connect-

(i)the A460 with the northbound carriageway of the M6 at junction 11;

(ii)the A5 with the northbound carriageway of the M6 at junction 12; and

(iii)the A449 with the northbound carriageway of the M6 at junction 13;

(b)the off-slip roads which connect the northbound carriageway of the M6 at-

(i)junction 11 with the A460;

(ii)junction 12 with the A5; and

(iii)junction 13 with the A449.

5.  The southbound slip roads are-

(a)the on-slip roads which connect-

(i)the A460 with the southbound carriageway of the M6 at junction 11;

(ii)the A5 with the southbound carriageway of the M6 at junction 12; and

(iii)the A449 with the southbound carriageway of the M6 at junction 13;

(b)the off-slip roads which connect the southbound carriageway of the M6 at-

(i)junction 11 with the A460;

(ii)junction 12 with the A5; and

(iii)junction 13 with the A449.

6.  The linking carriageways are-

(a)at junction 11a, the carriageway from the M6 Toll northbound, beginning at the western edge of the bridge carrying the A460 over the M6 Toll northbound and ending at the merge with the M6 northbound; and

(b)at junction 11a, the carriageway from the M6 southbound, beginning at the diverge from the M6 southbound to the linking carriageway and ending at the western edge of the bridge carrying the A460 over the M6 Toll southbound.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

These Regulations introduce variable speed limits to the M6 Motorway from junctions 10a to 13 and on associated slip roads and linking carriageways.

Regulation 3 provides for variable speed limits to have effect on the roads specified in the Schedule. Where variable speed limit signs are in operation a vehicle may not be driven at a speed above the maximum indicated by each speed limit sign passed by a vehicle, until it passes a sign indicating that the national speed limit applies or the vehicle leaves the roads covered by the regulation. Where a speed limit changes less than ten seconds before a vehicle passes the sign and the sign indicated a higher speed limit, the regulation allows a driver to proceed at a speed up to the maximum applicable before the change. Where the speed limit sign indicates a speed limit when it is passed by a vehicle but less than ten seconds previously it was either giving no indication of a speed limit or that the national speed limit applied, the sign is to be taken as giving no indication of a speed limit to the vehicle passing it.

Contravention of these regulations is an offence under section 17(4) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.