Speed limits for HGVs and buses?

Sparkles:)

Anyone know where I could locate this?! What it is currently and if it requires a change in legislation or is it an RSA thing?"

Sparks

Carawaystick

It's 80 for hgvs and coaches and 65 for busses.

Victor

Ordinary speed limits
* City-type buses (with room for people standing) - 65 km/h
* Buses and Coaches - 80 km/h
* Buses and Coaches - on dual carriageways and motorways only - 100 km/h
* Towing Vehicles - 80 km/h
* Goods (with a design gross weight of more than 3,500kg) - 80 km/h

All the above unless there is a lower limit present.

Legislation (Road Traffic Act 2004) sets the default limit. Councils can implement limits on specified roads through bye-laws. The above ordinary speed limits are set by the Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits — Buses, Heavy Goods Vehicles, etc) Regulations 2008. www.attorneygeneral.ie/esi/2008/B26604.pdf

**Timbuk2**

Are coaches allowed in the overtaking lane, if it's a two lane motorway? I think I read somewhere that HGVs can only stay in Lane 1, and can go into Lane 2 to overtake if and only if it's a three lane motorway - does the same apply for coaches?

Victor

Using the right hand lane is mostly about speed limits. If a road has an 80km/h limit, a truck should be able to use any lane.

Conway635

Buses (restricted to 65kph) are not allowed in the righthand lane, but coaches are. The thinking behind this is that you can't have vehicles restricted to 65kph blocking the overtaking lane on a road with a 100 or 120kph limit.

It is only a couple of years ago that the law was changed to allow double-deck coaches (as opposed to buses) to go faster than 65kph.

This does not apply on dual ways where the limit is lower (otherwise O'Connell Street would be a bit of a problem!).

C635

xtradel

Hgv's must be fitted with a speed limiter restricting them to a max speed of 90kph. 80kph is the allowed maximum speed but i'd say most trucks would keep it at 90kph on dc's and motorways.

I know of a truck that is capable of 110kph even though speedometer and tacho both read 90kph!

Terrontress

I'm surprised that coaches are allowed the 100km/h on motorways and hqdc. There seems to be a tendency to frustrate the operations of coaches to reduce their ability to compete with the railway.

foggy_lad

Terrontress wrote: »

I'm surprised that coaches are allowed the 100km/h on motorways and hqdc. There seems to be a tendency to frustrate the operations of coaches to reduce their ability to compete with the railway.

Modern coaches are easily capable of doing 120kph in safety and comfort which cant always be said for trains, the speed limit for coaches without standees should be raised even further.

Mycroft H

foggy_lad wrote: »

Modern coaches are easily capable of doing 120kph in safety and comfort which cant always be said for trains, the speed limit for coaches without standees should be raised even further.

Most intercity diesel locomotives/railcars in Ireland can comfortably do 120kph, well within their design constraints, whereas compared to buses are running near their maximum speed when approaching 120kph. The added maintenance, noise and fuel consumption from running a coach at 120kph would not be worth it at all

slimjimmc

foggy_lad wrote: »

Modern coaches are easily capable of doing 120kph in safety and comfort which cant always be said for trains, the speed limit for coaches without standees should be raised even further.

The problem for standing passengers is the danger posed in the event of heavy braking, that's why speeds are reduced. You don't have as big a risk with trains because trains can't stop as quickly as buses and very very rarely ever need to.

Victor wrote: »

Using the right hand lane is mostly about speed limits. If a road has an 80km/h limit, a truck should be able to use any lane.

Correct, trucks are allowed into the outside overtaking where the speed limit is 80km/h or less, however some truckers and car drivers seem confused at the regulations. I've heard some HGV licences holders incorrectly claim that it's legal to enter the overtaking lane when traffic is moving at 80 km/h or lower even in a 120km/h zone.

Del2005

landyman wrote: »

Most intercity diesel locomotives/railcars in Ireland can comfortably do 120kph, well within their design constraints, whereas compared to buses are running near their maximum speed when approaching 120kph.

The train may easily do 120kph, but the tracks can't.

Buses are nowhere near their max speed running at 120kph, they could go faster if needed/allowed.

landyman wrote: »

The added maintenance, noise and fuel consumption from running a coach at 120kph would not be worth it at all

The same could be said of any land vehicle, higher speed always increases costs.

Victor

foggy_lad wrote: »

Modern coaches are easily capable of doing 120kph in safety and comfort which cant always be said for trains, the speed limit for coaches without standees should be raised even further.

Not really. Its difficult to enforce seat belts on a coach and people have the habit of moving about from time to time.

Trains are an order of scale safer than coaches.

antoinolachtnai

But a coach is an order of scale safer than a car.

The reason is momentum of a coach in a collision is much greater than a car. As a result, you won't be suddenly thrown forward from your seat the way you will be if you are in a car accident.

A seat belt on a coach is to make sure you stay in your seat and in the vehicle rather than to resist a head-on collisiion. In any coach accident, if you stay in the seat you will almost certainly survive an accident and if you stay in the vehicle you have a good chance too. The danger for passengers is some sort of lateral impact which send the passengers flying out of their seats and through the windows and this is where the seat belt can help.

You can have a lateral impact of this type even at a much lower speed.