Can anyone tell me where i can find a definitive answer for a speeding offence?

Question

Can anyone tell me where i can find a definitive answer?

on which vehicles are classed as "car derived vans" and which are goods vehicles. I need something from a authoritative body to use as a defense in a speeding claim and cannot find anything at all. Furthermore the DVLA and VOSA cannot answer the question. If the governing bodies cannot answer the question how is the general public supposed to know?

Answer 1

Sorry, but I am not clear how this would be a defence to the charge (if this in England or Wales) to an offence contrary to section 89 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 - the offence is committed if exceeding the speed limit "on a road" in a motor vehicle. The law defines motor vehicle as "a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads" which covers either of the two types listed in your question. Are you sure of your defence?

Hope that helps

Answer 2

If the governing bodies cannot answer the question, it means it will be left to interpretation.

Sorry, I see you edited your comments, the definition of a Vans are generally weight driven.  Car derived vans are weight and shape driven in relationship to cars and car chassis so of which are subject to some degree of subjective criteria.

It is very important for drivers to bear in mind that vans (and all goods vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes) are subject to lower national speed limits than cars on both single and dual carriageway roads.

Are there any exemptions from these lower speed limits for vans?

There is one (small) group of vans which have the same speed limits are cars by virtue of the definitions in Schedule 6 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act of 1984.  These are vans that are both derived from a car chassis and also have a maximum laden weight of no more than 2 tonnes.  This means that the weight of the vehicle and the payload it is designed to be able to carry when added together do not exceed 2 tonnes.  The van design must be a derivative of a car body, it is not sufficient that it looks similar to a particular car.

Which vans meet the criteria to be considered car derived vans for speed limit purposes?

Very few vans will meet the criteria to benefit from the same speed limits as a car.  Those that do are likely to be similar to a Ford Fiesta van ,Vauxhall Corsa or Renault Clio van in having maximum payloads of around 500kgs so that when combined with the weight of the vehicle unladen (normally around 1.4 tonnes) the maximum laden weight of the whole vehicle will not exceed 2 tonnes.

What this means is that vans such as the Ford Transit and (and of course the larger panel vans) will not meet the definition of car derived vans set out set out in part IV section 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.  Therefore these vehicles will be subject to speed limits of 50mph on single carriageways and 60 mph on dual carriageways.

Sorry again for my first reply, but thanks for the clarification and I hope my second attempt to answer you question gets you closer to your goal.

Unfortunately, it appears from your request to know what vehicles qualify, may mean that you have one that does not qualify.

I have provided a link I hope will be helpful to you below: