Speed limits in Euroland towing a 750kg trailer

[WESTY66]

Hi all, been looking up speed limits in Europe and I’m a bit confused, I know the limits for my Moho, on its own without a trailer, I’ve even looked on some sites with limits set by under/over 3.5t......Now what I would like to know is that the GTW (cos I would be up around 4.1t) or the Moho (tow vehicle) weight on its own without accounting for the trailer weight? ?‍?‍?‍

 

[gus-lopez]

80 kph here towing. Not that many take any notice.

 

[Kingham]

Hi all, been looking up speed limits in Europe and I’m a bit confused, I know the limits for my Moho, on its own without a trailer, I’ve even looked on some sites with limits set by under/over 3.5t......Now what I would like to know is that the GTW (cos I would be up around 4.1t) or the Moho (tow vehicle) weight on its own without accounting for the trailer weight? ?‍?‍?‍

The signed weight limits are gross weight of the vehicle, not train weight..... If that’s what you’re asking.

 

[Flamenca]

In France I believe it is the GTW that is used to determine the speed limit for your vehicle. When I am towing a trailer it takes my train weight to around 4T and consequently I should stay within the limit for vehicles over 3.5T

 

[gus-lopez]

In France I believe it is the GTW that is used to determine the speed limit for your vehicle. When I am towing a trailer it takes my train weight to around 4T and consequently I should stay within the limit for vehicles over 3.5T

If that was the case then it would apply to nearly everything towing a double axle caravan yet they all sit on the toll roads at 130+kph, the limit. even on other roads all the signage only reduces the towing limit to 110kph when raining or on specified downhill sections-

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[Flamenca]

If that was the case then it would apply to nearly everything towing a double axle caravan yet they all sit on the toll roads at 130+kph, the limit. even on other roads all the signage only reduces the towing limit to 110kph when raining or on specified downhill sections-

Caravan Guard quotes speed limits in France when towing as follows:

Section III) If a motorhome has a trailer, then the speed limit will be based on the gross train mass, the same as a vehicle towing a caravan.
For example:
Ford Focus Style 5 door 1.8 Duratec
Gross Vehicle Weight: 1895kg
Towing Limit: 1160kg
Gross Train Mass: 2995kg (i.e. under 3.5 tonne see Section I)
Volvo X590 D5 manual
Gross Vehicle Weight: 2740kg
Towing Limit: 2250kg
Gross Train Mass: 4990kg (i.e. over 3.5 tonne see Section IV)

Section IV) Any vehicle which has a gross train mass over 3.5 tonne, towing a trailer or caravan; unless otherwise signposted and on dry roads the speed limit in kilometres per hour is: –

• On autoroutes (motorway) 90kph (55mph);
• On dual carriageways 90kph (55mph);
• Single carriageway 80kph (50mph);
• In towns 50kph (31mph). The town name starts the limit; a horizontal bar through the town name is the derestriction sign.

 

[gus-lopez]

They really need to crack down on it then as the amount towing at 130 is ridiculous & all would be in excess of 3,5t with a double axle van.

 

[peterc10]

I think it would be helpful if posters stated what country they are referring to when quoting limits. In my experience each country has their own rules.

 

[Flamenca]

They really need to crack down on it then as the amount towing at 130 is ridiculous & all would be in excess of 3,5t with a double axle van.

I agree

 

[WESTY66]

I think it would be helpful if posters stated what country they are referring to when quoting limits. In my experience each country has their own rules.

Netherlands, Germany, Austria?

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[WESTY66]

Caravan Guard quotes speed limits when towing as follows:

Section III) If a motorhome has a trailer, then the speed limit will be based on the gross train mass, the same as a vehicle towing a caravan.
For example:
Ford Focus Style 5 door 1.8 Duratec
Gross Vehicle Weight: 1895kg
Towing Limit: 1160kg
Gross Train Mass: 2995kg (i.e. under 3.5 tonne see Section I)
Volvo X590 D5 manual
Gross Vehicle Weight: 2740kg
Towing Limit: 2250kg
Gross Train Mass: 4990kg (i.e. over 3.5 tonne see Section IV)

Section IV) Any vehicle which has a gross train mass over 3.5 tonne, towing a trailer or caravan; unless otherwise signposted and on dry roads the speed limit in kilometres per hour is: –

• On autoroutes (motorway) 90kph (55mph);
• On dual carriageways 90kph (55mph);
• Single carriageway 80kph (50mph);
• In towns 50kph (31mph). The town name starts the limit; a horizontal bar through the town name is the derestriction sign.

That’s what was confusing me, I didn’t know for sure whether the +/- 3.5T was the GTW or just the GVW of the tow vehicle. But thanks for that info?

 

[Kingham]

Caravan Guard quotes speed limits in France when towing as follows:

Section III) If a motorhome has a trailer, then the speed limit will be based on the gross train mass, the same as a vehicle towing a caravan.
For example:
Ford Focus Style 5 door 1.8 Duratec
Gross Vehicle Weight: 1895kg
Towing Limit: 1160kg
Gross Train Mass: 2995kg (i.e. under 3.5 tonne see Section I)
Volvo X590 D5 manual
Gross Vehicle Weight: 2740kg
Towing Limit: 2250kg
Gross Train Mass: 4990kg (i.e. over 3.5 tonne see Section IV)

Section IV) Any vehicle which has a gross train mass over 3.5 tonne, towing a trailer or caravan; unless otherwise signposted and on dry roads the speed limit in kilometres per hour is: –

• On autoroutes (motorway) 90kph (55mph);
• On dual carriageways 90kph (55mph);
• Single carriageway 80kph (50mph);
• In towns 50kph (31mph). The town name starts the limit; a horizontal bar through the town name is the derestriction sign.

Does that mean that France doesn’t have an automatic reduction in speed as soon as you tow a trailer, such as in the UK ?

 

[Flamenca]

Does that mean that France doesn’t have an automatic reduction in speed as soon as you tow a trailer, such as in the UK ?

No there is no automatic reduction of speed limit in France for vehicles towing a trailer. The gross train weight applies.

 

[Kingham]

No there is no automatic reduction of speed limit in France for vehicles towing a trailer. The gross train weight applies.

Thanks for that, I wasn’t aware ??

 

[jongood]

Well I didnt believe that to be the case but having checked - yes it is. I wonder how many people towing cars on trailers know about the 90km/h motorway limit.

Voici le texte de l’article R413-8 qui régit cette vitesse :

La vitesse des véhicules dont le poids total autorisé en charge est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes ou des ensembles de véhicules dont le poids total roulant autorisé est supérieur à 3,5 tonnes, à l’exception des véhicules de transport en commun, est limitée à :

– 90 km/h sur les autoroutes ;

– 80 km/h sur les routes à caractère prioritaire et signalées comme telles. Toutefois, cette vitesse maximale est relevée à 90 km/h pour les véhicules dont le poids total est inférieur ou égal à 12 tonnes sur les routes à deux chaussées séparées par un terre-plein central ;

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[jongood]

A further thought is how do the French consider an eze tow?

1, if its a trailer then if the combo is over 3500kgs its 56mph on a motorway
2, If its an extension to the MH (GTW >3500kgs)then its 68mph

 

[gus-lopez]

Until I came across the French towing at 130kph I thought that the 50 mph limit for towing , was standard across the eu.When did the UK allow it to be increased from 50?
It sould be quite simple. Towing = 80kph(50 mph = that's it-Personally I have always advocated that anything with a roof rack skis, back bike racks, tow bar racks, etc; etc; should all be subject to the same limit.

 

[Landy Andy]

But it’s not 50mph in the uk. It’s 60mph on motorways

 

[Augusta08]

I came thru Belgium last month with the Porsche on the trailer @ 110kph and police came past me without problems