Speed Limits in Northern Ireland
The speed limit depends on the road, the signs and the vehicle you are driving. A car may legally have a different maximum speed from a lorry or a car towing a trailer on exactly the same road.
What is the speed limit in Northern Ireland?
For an ordinary car or motorcycle, the standard maximum is generally 30 mph in a built-up area, 60 mph on a single carriageway and 70 mph on a dual carriageway or motorway. Those figures only apply where a lower signed limit does not apply.
The Northern Ireland Highway Code says the presence of street lights generally means a 30 mph speed limit unless signs specify another limit.
Maximum limits differ by vehicle type.
These are the current standard maximum limits published in Northern Ireland guidance. A signed lower limit still takes priority.
| Vehicle | Built-up | Single carriageway | Dual carriageway | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cars & motorcycles Including car-derived vans up to 2 tonnes maximum laden weight |
30 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph | 70 mph |
| Cars towing caravans or trailers | 30 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph | 60 mph |
|
Buses, coaches & minibuses Not exceeding 12 metres overall |
30 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph |
| Goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes | 30 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph | 70 mph* |
| Goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes | 30 mph | 40 mph | 50 mph | 60 mph |
*For goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes, the motorway maximum is 60 mph where the vehicle is articulated or towing a trailer.
A road can have a lower signed speed limit.
The standard limits are not a promise that every single carriageway is 60 mph or every dual carriageway is 70 mph. Local limits can be introduced where a different speed is considered appropriate.
- 20 mph limits can be used in locations such as residential or pedestrian-heavy areas.
- 30 mph is normally associated with built-up roads and street lighting unless another limit is signed.
- 40 mph and 50 mph limits are also used where specifically signed.
- Always follow the actual speed-limit signs applying to the road you are driving on.
Towing reduces the maximum speed.
A car towing a caravan or trailer has lower standard maximum speeds than the same car when it is not towing.
Single carriageway
Maximum 50 mph when towing, unless a lower signed limit applies.
Dual carriageway & motorway
Maximum 60 mph when towing, unless a lower signed limit applies.
You may need to drive well below the limit.
The Highway Code describes the speed limit as the absolute maximum. It does not mean that travelling at that speed is safe in every situation.
- Reduce speed for bends and difficult road layouts.
- Allow for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
- Reduce speed in rain, ice, fog or poor visibility.
- Drive more cautiously at night.
- Leave enough distance to stop safely within the distance you can see to be clear.
