Cars in the United Kingdom are limited to 30 mph (48 km/h) in built-up areas, or 20 mph (32 km/h) in Wales, 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. Police use fixed, variable, average-speed and mobile cameras, and average-speed cameras are a common sight at motorway roadworks. Every limit is set in miles per hour.
| Road type | Cars |
|---|---|
| Built-up area: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland | 30 mph |
| Built-up area: Wales | 20 mph |
| Single carriageway | 60 mph |
| Dual carriageway | 70 mph |
| Motorway | 70 mph |
What are the speed limits in the UK?
The limit depends on the type of road, your vehicle and whether there are street lights. According to GOV.UK, a road with street lights generally has a limit of 30 mph, or 20 mph in Wales, unless signs show otherwise. Councils can set lower local limits, such as 20 mph zones near schools, and these must be clearly signed.
Wales changed its default from 30 mph to 20 mph in September 2023. Councils can keep 30 mph on some roads, and those roads are signed.
A car towing a caravan or trailer has lower limits: 50 mph on single carriageways, and 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. The national table sets limits by road and vehicle type, with no separate figure for wet weather or for new drivers. The Highway Code calls the limit “the absolute maximum” and says it does not mean a speed is safe in every condition.
What does the national speed limit sign mean?
The white circular sign with a black diagonal stripe means the national speed limit applies, so the number depends on your road and vehicle. For a car, that is 60 mph on a single carriageway and 70 mph on a dual carriageway or motorway. It does not always mean 70 mph.
What kinds of speed cameras does the UK use?
The UK uses several kinds of camera, and a written statement to Parliament in December 2025 listed average speed sites and mobile camera deployments among the police’s speed enforcement tactics. We found no current official national count, so we do not quote one.
- Fixed cameras stand at the roadside at a single location.
- Variable speed cameras work with the limit shown on signs, on some motorways and A-roads. Under Highway Code rule 261, a limit displayed in a red circle on a sign must not be exceeded.
- Average-speed cameras measure your speed over a stretch of road rather than at one point.
- Mobile cameras are deployed by police at changing locations.
Why are there average-speed cameras at motorway roadworks?
Temporary limits protect the people working on the road and everyone driving through it, and Highway Code rule 288 says you must not exceed them. On the M1 between junctions 10 and 13, National Highways set a 50 mph average speed restriction during its work, and the M6 upgrade between junctions 21a and 26 ran with a reduced 50 mph limit. An average-speed section measures the whole stretch, so the temporary limit is the number to hold from start to finish.
Are speed camera apps legal in the UK?
Yes for tools that only warn. Ask the Police, the public service of the Police National Legal Database, states that devices which only provide information about camera site locations are lawful in the UK, and that jammers which interfere with police speed equipment are unlawful. GOV.UK says you may use a device hands-free as long as you do not hold it at any time, and a dashboard or windscreen mount must not block your view. Checked on 30 October 2026.
What should visiting drivers know?
- Signs and limits are in mph, so check which scale your speedometer shows. GOV.UK gives 70 mph as 112 km/h.
- Crossing into Wales often means a lower limit on roads with street lights.
- Detector rules change at the border. Ask the Police warns that devices lawful in the UK may be unlawful abroad.
Planning a longer trip? Read our guides to Australia and the United States.
