Built-up area (Highway Code)

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (June 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Polish. (June 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Polish article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 303 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Polish Wikipedia article at [[:pl:Obszar zabudowany]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|pl|Obszar zabudowany}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation. You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Finnish. (June 2024) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Finnish article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Finnish Wikipedia article at [[:fi:Tieliikennetaajama]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template {{Translated|fi|Tieliikennetaajama}} to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation. (Learn how and when to remove this message)

In the UK Highway Code for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, a built-up area is a settled area in which the speed limit of a road is automatically 30 mph (48 km/h). In Wales it's 20 mph (32 km/h). These roads are known as 'restricted roads' and are identified by the presence of street lights.

In 1930, the concept of specific regulation for roads within built-up areas appears. It defines the road as a road within built-up area if some system of street lighting exists at less than 200 yards (183 meters) from that road, unless decided other way by the local authority and written on traffic signs.^[1]

The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 is the basis of the current law.

In 2018, mainland UK became a member of the Vienna convention on road traffic which consider that the concept of built-up area should be defined by the domestic legislation.

In August 2006, the Department for Transport issued new guidance relating to speed limits. It states that:^[2]

Section 82(1)(a) (of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 1984)) defines a restricted road in England and Wales as a road which is provided with "a system of street lighting furnished by means of lamps placed not more than 200 yards apart". Section 81 specifically makes it an offence for a person to drive a motor vehicle at a speed of more than 30 mph on a restricted road.

"Street lighting" is further defined as follows:^[3]

As set out in paragraph 45, it is generally recognised that a 'system' of street lighting could be three or more lamps spaced not more than 183 metres apart. However, street lighting (for the purposes of determining whether or not a road is a restricted) is not necessarily limited to street lamps, but may extend to lighting provided by authorities or parish councils.

To avoid confusion that could arise if some 30 mph zones were 'street-lit' and some were not, DfT guidance goes onto say:^{[citation needed]}

Direction 11 of The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 (TSRGD 2002) defines the requirements for the placing of speed-limit repeater signs. This states that speed-limit repeater signs cannot be placed along a road on which there is carriageway lighting not more than 183 metres apart and which is subject to a 30 mph speed limit. The Department will not make exceptions to this rule.

This has led to the conclusion that:^{[citation needed]}

This means it should be assumed that, unless an order has been made and the road is signed to the contrary, a 30 mph speed limit applies where there are three or more lamps throwing light on the carriageway and placed not more than 183 metres apart.

British Standards on "Road Lighting" are contained in the following documents: BS EN13201-1-2004; BS 5489:1:2003^[4]

Most road traffic law pertaining to speed limits is contained in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 1984). Other relevant legislation includes the Highways Act 1980, where Sections 90A-F cover road humps and Sections 90G-I cover other traffic-calming works. Part VI of the RTRA 1984 deals specifically with speed limits, with Sections 81–84 dealing with different speed limits and the speed-limit order-making process.

In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code of Northern Ireland has only three references to the "built-up area" and does not define it.

In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code forbids the use of the horn within built-up area between 2330 and 0700, except in case of danger,^[5] consistently with article 28 of the Vienna convention.^[6]

In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code forbids speeds higher than 30 mph in built-up areas.^[5]

• Built-up area
• Speed limit

• Department for Transport: DfT Circular 01/2006, Setting Local Speed Limits Archived 6 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
• Highway Code Rule 103: Speed limits
• Dept. Of Transport: Manual for Streets (2007)
• British Stands: Road Lighting