Government responds to media enquiries about speed limits

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     In response to media enquiries about speed limits on some sections of Hong Kong's roads, a Government spokesman said today (September 14) that under section 40 of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), the maximum speed at which a vehicle may be driven on any road shall be 50 km/h and that the Commissioner for Transport might vary speed limits by notice in the Gazette.

     The spokesman said variation of speed limits of roads was generally operational and technical in nature and in some cases necessitated by urgent emergency road works.

     "The Commissioner for Transport had consistently been publishing variation notices in the form of government notices (GNs) in the Gazette," he said. 

     The Commissioner only published one Gazette notice in the form of a legal notice (LN) in 1984 (known as 374M) when all speed limits in Hong Kong were converted from imperial to metric units.

     Both GNs and LNs are published in the Gazette and carry legal effect, the spokesman stressed. 

     The Police will enforce speed limits applicable to the roads as set out in the latest Gazette notices.

     The spokesman said where there is no sign on speed limit erected on the road, the speed limit is 50 km/h.  Where the speed limit is not 50 km/h, the Commissioner for Transport is obliged to display traffic signs on the road showing the speed limit in force so that motorists are well informed of the effective speed limits. 

     "Motorists should always follow the speed limits set out in the traffic signs, as they reflect the speed limits applicable to the road," he said.

Ends/Monday, September 14, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:51

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