Irish transit connect on uk roads.

ScouseMouse

I may be taking a one tonne transit connect to the UK soon.

Its an irish reg, registered as a company vehicle. It is fully legit with tax and DOE cert, but will not be carrying any goods.

I seem to recall someone telling me goods vehicles are banned from lanes two and three on motorways.

Anyone know anything about this or anything else I need to be aware of.

I will of course be carrying my licence, insurance cert, tax disk, DOE etc etc....

Thanks in advance.

-Corkie-

superscouse wrote: »

I may be taking a one tonne transit connect to the UK soon.

Its an irish reg, registered as a company vehicle. It is fully legit with tax and DOE cert, but will not be carrying any goods.

I seem to recall someone telling me goods vehicles are banned from lanes two and three.

Anyone know anything about this or anything else I need to be aware of.

I will of course be carrying my licence, insurance cert, tax disk, DOE etc etc....

Thanks in advance.

Thats only for trucks over 7 tonnes.

911s

Just need to remember that commercial panel vans are restricted to 60 mph on dual carriageways where cars can do 70, and restricted to 50mph on single carriageway where national speed limit (60) applies for cars..
If the van belongs to a company always a good idea to have letter on company stationery giving you permission to use van and even reason for journey.

ScouseMouse

This is the kind of info I am looking for. Don't think I need a letter of permission as I am named on insurance and will be the driver. I also own the company. Purpose is personal and meetings. (could be fact-finding mission LOL)

I don't know about the speed limits hence asking here. I will be driving the A55 from Holyhead, onto locals then M53, Mersey tunnels and then locals.

So far, I just have to stay 10 mph below everyone else and there are no lane restrictions.

Anyone else have anything to add?

Thanks all

Solnskaya

driven holyhead to London, holyhead to liverpool umpteen times in vans from 1ton to 3.5 ton and all I've ever done was keep up to the traffic- almost always just at the limit, along with all the other commercials. It's not Turkey you're going to, its England, rules are pretty much same as here. If you do 10mph less than the limit you will probably be blown out of it by every driver who encounters you as they fly past in their vans. Biggest challenge for most Irish drivers who have to drive in the UK is keeping up-they go a bit harder over there.

ScouseMouse

I know that. Usually do it it a 2l Mondeo turbo. I kinda know someone who aimed for as many camera flashes as possible on one trip. But he is more responsible now.

I just like to be sure. Maybe been watching to much traffic cops on sky:D

Solnskaya

on the eeeeeeennnnnnnnnndddddddddddddlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeesssssss
road across to the ferry terminal at Holyhead(I reckon the "miles to holyhead" signs are just there to give the locals a laugh-it seems to be about 300 miles long, but is posted as 50 somthing) the fine welsh constabulary(who are apparently the toughest in the UK on motoring offences) have numerous speed-traps. I've always just done the limit in vans and have passed through umpteen camera/radar set-ups with never a problem. The biggest thing with Uk as opposed to Irish driving is to make sure the vehicle is A1 in every respect, especially tyres and coolant because of the PITA factor with even minor break-downs. The motorways over thereas you know yourself)are fairly endless, and are unforgiving to badly maintained vehicles. Getting off the ferry, it's like a starting pistol has been fired, and the race is on!

darragh o meara

I've driven an awful lot in the Uk with vans/trucks of all sizes. The cops over there don't really mind too much if your keeping in to the traffic once your not taking the piss. As stated above just make sure the van is fairly sound mechanically as the long motorway sessions can take their toll on cars/vans in poor condition. Checking lights is a good idea too as the cops over there can and will pull you for blown bulbs, got stopped myself yesterday in Wales for number plate bulb !

The speed cameras won't be a problem if your van is Irish regged, however if you set off more than 2 on the same stretch of road the local traffic cops are notified as I found out a few years back when I triggered 8 speed cameras from London to fishgard. The cop stopped me just as I was about to board the ferry and gave me an unmercifully bollocking!! I was basically told to make sure that car never came back on Uk soil again

si_guru

http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/DefensiveDriving/Speed/UK_Speed_limits.html

Obviously a fix camera doesn't know you are in a van - or where you live... but a squad car will!

Also expect to be treated like a thiefing gyppo at the port on the way out of the UK!

ScouseMouse

si_guru wrote: »

http://www.smartdriving.co.uk/Driving/DefensiveDriving/Speed/UK_Speed_limits.html

Obviously a fix camera doesn't know you are in a van - or where you live... but a squad car will!

Also expect to be treated like a thiefing gyppo at the port on the way out of the UK!

Thats a useful site. If I am reading it right, a transit connect is treated as a car. Its not articulated (define that! a tractor unit hitched to a trailer?) or towing a trailer.

So I can pee along at 70 on the motorway and 60 on the dual carraigeways.

Or should I say, I can plough along with everyone else doing "the limit"

Thanks all.

darragh o meara

si_guru wrote: »

Also expect to be treated like a thiefing gyppo at the port on the way out of the UK!

Can't say I've ever been treated badly at customs in any van or truck, they do ask questions but they do that to English registered vans too. I've been asked to open a few boxes at times but I've seen worse done to cocky Brits.

si_guru

darragh o meara wrote: »

Can't say I've ever been treated badly at customs in any van or truck, they do ask questions but they do that to English registered vans too. I've been asked to open a few boxes at times but I've seen worse done to cocky Brits.

I travelled 50+ times to the UK in my car - nothing.. 3 times in van when I moved house - stopped each time and asked mad questions like "is that your ironing board"... "why are you moving to Ireland".. "Can you tell me the reg of your van" (it was bright yellow and said Hertz on the side).

CiniO

darragh o meara wrote: »

Can't say I've ever been treated badly at customs in any van or truck, they do ask questions but they do that to English registered vans too. I've been asked to open a few boxes at times but I've seen worse done to cocky Brits.

I've traveled from Poland to Ireland few times, and definitely biggest and most through checks were on UK-Ireland border.

ScouseMouse

CiniO wrote: »

I've traveled from Poland to Ireland few times, and definitely biggest and most through checks were on UK-Ireland border.

They can check away. All I will have may be a bit of personal shopping and a couple of cases of beer.

Solnskaya

superscouse wrote: »

They can check away. All I will have may be a bit of personal shopping and a couple of cases of beer.

"Is that for personal use Sir???":DNever had a problem with UK customs, always found them friendly and polite. Irish customs pull you over, ask a question, and when you answer with a midlands bogger accent, they immediatly lose all interest in you! Might be different if you speak like Constantine Gurdiev though, but i'm not sure.:)

_Conrad_

si_guru wrote: »

I travelled 50+ times to the UK in my car - nothing.. 3 times in van when I moved house - stopped each time and asked mad questions like "is that your ironing board"... "why are you moving to Ireland".. "Can you tell me the reg of your van" (it was bright yellow and said Hertz on the side).

I was once asked "why are you sleeping?" when i was sleeping in the carpark at fishguard at about 1.30 am after having driven from luton... then immediately after that i was asked "do you know what's in your jacket?"