Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the M25 Motorway (Junctions 10 to 15) (Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 1995 and shall come into force on 15th May 1995.

General interpretation

2.-(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-

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

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

"the relevant roads" means the lengths of motorway comprised in-

• together with the adjacent hard shoulders and verges;

"speed limit sign" means a traffic sign for indicating that a specified maximum speed limit other than the national speed limit is in force; and

"national speed limit" has the meaning given by regulation 5(2) of the Traffic Signs Regulations 1994(3).

(2) For the purposes of these Regulations, a vehicle shall be regarded as passing a particular traffic sign if and only if-

(a)it passes the sign while being driven on a motorway;

(b)the sign is on or near that motorway; and

(c)the sign is directed at traffic on the carriageway on which the vehicle is being driven or, if the vehicle is being driven on a hard shoulder or verge, the carriageway to which that hard shoulder or verge is adjacent.

(3) References in these Regulations to the M3, the M4 and the M25 are references to the lengths of motorway known respectively as the M3, the M4 and the M25.

(4) A reference in these Regulations to a junction followed by a number is a reference to the junction of the M25 of that number.

Interpretation of references to slip roads

3.-(1) In the definition of "the relevant roads" in regulation 2(1), the reference to the relevant clockwise slip roads is a reference to-

(a)the on-slip road which connects the clockwise carriageway of the M25 with the A3 at junction 10;

(b)the on-slip roads and off-slip roads which connect the clockwise carriageway of the M25 with-�

• the A320 at junction 11;

• the A30 at junction 13; and

• the A3113 at junction 14;

(c)the lengths of road in the vicinity of junction 12 specified in Part II of Schedule 1 to these Regulations; and

(d)the lengths of road in the vicinity of junction 15 specified in Part II of Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

(2) In the definition of "the relevant roads" in regulation 2(1), the reference to the relevant anti-clockwise slip roads is a reference to-

(a)the off-slip road which connects the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25 with the A3 at junction 10;

(b)the on-slip roads and off-slip roads which connect the anti-clockwise carriage of the M25 with-

• the A317 at junction 11;

• the A30 at junction 13; and

• the A3113 at junction 14;

(c)the lengths of road in the vicinity of junction 12 specified in Part III of Schedule 1 to these Regulations; and

(d)the lengths or road in the vicinity of junction 15 specified in Part III of Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

(3) In this regulation a reference to an on-slip road is a reference to a slip road intended for the use of traffic entering the M25; and a reference to an off-slip road shall be construed accordingly.

(4) Part I of Schedule 1 to these Regulations shall have effect for the purpose of interpreting Parts II and III of that Schedule.

(5) Part I of Schedule 2 to these Regulations shall have effect for the purpose of interpreting Parts II and III of that Schedule.

Speed Limits

4.-(1) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) below, where a motor vehicle being driven on any part of the relevant roads on any occasion passes a speed limit sign ("the sign in question") no person shall, during the relevant period, drive the vehicle on any part of the relevant roads at a speed exceeding the relevant speed.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) above, the relevant period is the period that begins immediately after the vehicle passes the sign in question and ends immediately before one of the following events occurs thereafter, namely-

(a)the vehicle passes a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit or any other specified maximum speed limit is in force; or

(b)the vehicle goes outside the area comprising the relevant roads.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1) above, "relevant speed" means the speed limit indicated by the sign in question at the time that the vehicle passes it.

(4) If-

(a)a motor vehicle being driven on any part of the relevant roads passes a speed limit sign at a particular location; and

(b)apart from this paragraph, the vehicle would be subject to a speed limit by virtue of this regulation, but would not have been subject to a speed limit by virtue of this regulation had it passed that location ten seconds earlier than was in fact the case,

the vehicle shall not be subject to any speed limit by virtue of this regulation.

(5) If-

(a)a motor vehicle being driven on any part of the relevant roads passes a speed limit sign at the particular location; and

(b)apart from this paragraph, the vehicle would be subject to a speed limit by virtue of this regulation, but would be subject to a higher speed limit by virtue of this regulation had it passed that location ten seconds earlier than was in fact the case.

paragraph (1) above shall have effect in relation to the vehicle as if it had passed that location ten seconds earlier than was in fact the case.

Saving

6. Nothing in these Regulations shall prejudice the operation of any other regulations made or having effect as if made under section 17 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Regulation 3

SCHEDULE 1SLIP ROADS IN THE VICINITY OF JUNCTION 12

PART IINTERPRETATION

1. In this Schedule-

"the J slip road" means the slip road which connects the clockwise carriageway of the M25 with the south-west going carriageway of the M3;

"the K slip road" means the slip road which connects the north-east going carriageway of the M3 with the clockwise carriageway of the M25;

"the L slip road" means the slip road which connects the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25 with the north-east going carriageway of the M3;

"the M slip road" means the slip road which connects the south-west going carriageway of the M3 with the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25;

"the N slip road" means the slip road which connects the M slip road with the K slip road and is intended for use by traffic transferring from the north-east going carriageway of the M3 to the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25; and

"the O slip road" means the slip road which connects the K slip road with the M slip road and is intended for use by traffic transferring from the south-west going carriageway of the M3 to the clockwise carriageway of the M25.

2. A reference in this Schedule to the zone sign, in relation to a slip road, is a reference to the point where a traffic sign is situated on or near that slip road on the date that these Regulations come into force displaying the words "VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT" or "VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT ENDS".

PART IISLIP ROADS RELATING TO THE CLOCKWISE CARRIAGEWAY

1. The J slip road commencing at its junction with the clockwise carriageway of the M25 and ending at the zone sign.

2. The K slip road commencing at the zone sign and ending at its junction with the clockwise carriageway of the M25.

3. The whole of the O slip road.

PART IIISLIP ROADS RELATING TO THE ANTI-CLOCKWISE CARRIAGEWAY

1. The L slip road commencing at its junction with the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25 and ending at the zone sign.

2. The M slip road commencing at the zone sign and ending at its junction with the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25.

3. The whole of the N slip road.

Regulation 3

SCHEDULE 2SLIP ROADS IN THE VICINITY OF JUNCTION 15

PART IINTERPRETATION

1. In this Schedule-

"the J slip road" means the slip road which connects the clockwise carriageway of the M25 with the west going carriageway of the M4;

"the K slip road" means the slip road which connects the east going carriageway of the M4 with the clockwise carriageway of the M25;

"the M slip road" means the slip road which connects the west going carriageway of the M4 with the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25; and

"the N slip road" means the slip road which connects the K slip road with the M slip road and is intended for use by traffic transferring from the east going carriageway of the M4 to the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25.

2. A reference in this Schedule to the zone sign, in relation to a slip road, is a reference to the point where a traffic sign is situated on or near that slip road on the date that these Regulations come into force displaying the words "VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT" or "VARIABLE SPEED LIMIT ENDS".

PART IISLIP ROADS RELATING TO THE CLOCKWISE CARRIAGEWAY

The J slip road commencing at its junction with the clockwise carriageway of the M25 and ending at the zone sign.

PART IIISLIP ROADS RELATING TO THE ANTI-CLOCKWISE CARRIAGEWAY

1. The length of the M slip road commencing at the zone sign and ending at its junction with the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25.

2. The whole of the N slip road.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations apply to the M25 between junctions 10 and 15 and to parts of the adjoining slip roads.

The main effect of the Regulations is that if a vehicle passes a speed limit sign on a road to which the Regulations apply, the vehicle must not be driven at a speed above that indicated by the sign until it passes a sign indicating that the restriction ceases to apply or it ceases to be on any such road. This will enable variable speed limit signs to be introduced.

The Regulations contain a provision which enables a driver of a vehicle to ignore changes to traffic signs that occur at any location less that 10 seconds before the vehicle passes that location (see regulation 4(4) to (6)).