Does a 30mph limit still count at night if the street lights are switched off?
Assuming the Highway Code still states that street lighting on roads indicates a 30 mph speed limit, my area turns the lighting off for part of the night (approximately between 12 and 4am). Some nights it is pitch black. Is the speed limit legally enforceable during this period?
Asked on 30 May 2025 by chris meadows
Answered by
David Ross
Section 81 and 82 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 states that 'It shall not be lawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle on a restricted road at a speed exceeding 30 miles per hour...in England and Wales, there is provided on it a system of street lighting furnished by means of lamps placed not more than 200 yards apart.' Given there is no mention of the time of day or actual lighting conditions, it is safe to assume that this applies even in the hours of darkness and if the street lights are not illuminated.
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