3.5t Horsebox Speed Limit

[LA&Murph]

I collected my newly converted 3.5t horsebox on Saturday, and proceeded to drive it 8 hours back home (couldn't have chosen a company much further from home!).

With a horse in it, I wouldn't go above 50mph on a motorway for my own peace of mind, but I wondered about unladen?

I'd heard that I can go 50mph on a single carriageway marked at National Speed Limit (60mph for cars), at 60mph on a dual carriageway (70mph for cars) and at 70mph on a motorway, same as cars. Is this true? I stayed at 60 everywhere anyway as I'd never driven anything that big before!

Thought I'd check in here before trying to go contact DVLA.

 

[nicky_jakey]

I drive at or below the speed limits with my 3.5T. Or whatever speed is safe.
I've certainly driven in the motorway at 70mph unladen. It will quite cheerfully cruise along at 70 (without a horse on board!).
Essentially just drive at whatever speed you're happy with - you'll get used to driving it & feel more comfortable in time.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I'd heard that I can go 50mph on a single carriageway marked at National Speed Limit (60mph for cars), at 60mph on a dual carriageway (70mph for cars) and at 70mph on a motorway, same as cars. Is this true?

Thought I'd check in here before trying to go contact DVLA.

Spot on ^ if empty.

 

[Sparkeyboy]

I collected my newly converted 3.5t horsebox on Saturday, and proceeded to drive it 8 hours back home (couldn't have chosen a company much further from home!).

With a horse in it, I wouldn't go above 50mph on a motorway for my own peace of mind, but I wondered about unladen?

I'd heard that I can go 50mph on a single carriageway marked at National Speed Limit (60mph for cars), at 60mph on a dual carriageway (70mph for cars) and at 70mph on a motorway, same as cars. Is this true? I stayed at 60 everywhere anyway as I'd never driven anything that big before!

Thought I'd check in here before trying to go contact DVLA.

I tend to stick with 10mph under the speed limit wherever i go (excluding the majority of 30/20mph roads) the more your drive, the more you'll get a feel for what the comfortable speed is. Unladen, mines quite fun to drive and pretty quick

 

[WelshD]

I stick to 30mph as that's the top speed of my clapped out shed!

 

[Tiddlypom]

This is interesting reading. We've recently hired a 3.5t motorhome, and were told that we were legal to drive at the normal car limits, eg 60mph on a NSL single carriageway road etc.

I'd assumed that a 3.5t horsebox would be the same. Sounds like a false assumption on my part.

 

[WelshD]

This is interesting reading. We've recently hired a 3.5t motorhome, and were told that we were legal to drive at the normal car limits, eg 60mph on a NSL single carriageway road etc.

I'd assumed that a 3.5t horsebox would be the same. Sounds like a false assumption on my part.

I always thought it was standard speed limits too

 

[Walrus]

I'd heard that I can go 50mph on a single carriageway marked at National Speed Limit (60mph for cars), at 60mph on a dual carriageway (70mph for cars) and at 70mph on a motorway, same as cars. Is this true? I stayed at 60 everywhere anyway as I'd never driven anything that big before!

.

Yes, this is the case. I had no idea until i went on a speed awareness course (for doing 34 in a 30 in my car so not horsebox related). There were quite a few poeple on the course who drove 3.5T works vans etc. and they weren't aware of this rule either.

With the horse in legally you can do the same as unladen. I may be in the minority but on a straight, flat fast flowing motorway i keep up with the traffic and do 65-70 with my horse in. My OH advised me it was safer to keep up with the traffic rather than go too slowly and cause an obstruction.

 

[Casey76]

If you drive at 50mph on a motorway you could be a hazard.

Unless the UK is completely different to France, your 3.5T horsebox is subject to the rules of any 3.5T vehicle, and you would need to make a determination based up on weather etc, you max speed laden.

 

[jhoward]

this link should help

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

 

[ROG]

3.5 tonne horsebox is not a car derived van or dual purpose vehicle so as said already ......
Single 50
Dual 60
Mway 70

 

[Tiddlypom]

From the BHS website, a guide for horsebox and trailer owners.

http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/BHS/Files/PDF Documents/VOSA Horsebox Guide.ashx

3.5t motorhomes seem to count as 'motor caravans' and are allowed to keep to normal car speed limits, subject to various qualifiers.

 

[LA&Murph]

Excellent, this is why I love this forum, thank you all. Good point though, about keeping up with traffic more, it was just in the event of having to stop quickly when laden with horse!

Tiddlypom, embarrassingly enough, I'd read that document, but seem to have missed that table (possibly juggling reading non-work docs during work time has not been as successful as I thought!)

 

[Pinkvboots]

I never do 70mph in mine on the motorway with a horse on it just feels too fast and I only do about 60mph when it's empty just feels safer to me, and the way some of these morons drive on the M25 which I use a lot I don't want to take the risk.

 

[ROG]

From the BHS website, a guide for horsebox and trailer owners.

http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/BHS/Files/PDF Documents/VOSA Horsebox Guide.ashx

3.5t motorhomes seem to count as 'motor caravans' and are allowed to keep to normal car speed limits, subject to various qualifiers.

That is wrong for England + wales because its 50 on single for all LGVs not 40

 

[Tiddlypom]

That is wrong for England + wales because its 50 on single for all LGVs not 40

Oops, correct, the BHS table is out of date, seems that HGV limits on some roads were raised earlier this year. I'll message the BHS about it.

this link should help

https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

That sounds like a more reliable source .

 

[chillipup]

I stick to 30mph as that's the top speed of my clapped out shed!

Ohh, so it's you WelshD that's holding up all the motorway traffic!!!

 

[Clannad48]

I stick to 30mph as that's the top speed of my clapped out shed!

With my old lorry I would have been grateful to get 30mph, usually only managed that going downhill with a strong wind behind, and going even vaguely steep uphill was generally 10 - 15mph usually with me yelling at the horse 'I wish you were Pegasus'. It was a clapped out old thing but I still miss having a lorry

 

[SarahWeston]

It's important to remember that when you brake or even change gear, your horse continues to move at the speed you were doing before you braked or changed gear until he hits the breast bar or partition, or, if rear facing the wall behind him. Worth taking into account given the number of incidents involving horses in trouble in trailers and horseboxes.