Road Traffic Citation and commencement 1 These Regulations may be cited as the M25 Motorway (Junctions 23 to 27) (Variable Speed Limits) Regulations 2013 and come into force on 4th November 2013. Interpretation 2 In these Regulations— “the 1982 Regulations ” means the Motorways Traffic (England and Wales) Regulations 1982 ; “the 2002 Regulations ” means the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002 ; and “carriageway”, “hard shoulder”, “motorway” and “verge” have the same meaning as in the 1982 Regulations. Modification of the 1982 Regulations 3 1 In relation to the specified roads the 1982 Regulations have effect as if they were modified as follows. 2 Paragraph (1) of regulation 3 (interpretation) has effect as if— a after sub-paragraph (c) there were inserted— ca “emergency refuge area” means a part of a motorway— i which is adjacent to and situated on the left-hand or near side of the hard shoulder or carriageway when facing in the direction in which, in accordance with regulation 6, vehicles may be driven, and ii whose boundary with the hard shoulder or carriageway is indicated by a marking of the type shown in diagram 1010 in Schedule 6 to the Traffic Signs Regulations 2002; ; b in sub-paragraph (g) after “hard shoulder”, there were inserted “an emergency refuge area,”; c in regulation 7 (restrictions on stopping), paragraph (2) has effect as if at the end, after “carriageway” there were added “or on any emergency refuge area which is adjacent to that carriageway or hard shoulder.”. 3 Paragraph 3(a) and (b) of regulation 7, regulation 9 (restriction on the use of hard shoulders) and paragraph (b)(i) of regulation 14 (restrictions affecting animals carried by vehicles) have effect as if after “hard shoulder” (in each place) there was inserted “or emergency refuge area”. Variable speed limits 4 1 No person shall drive a vehicle on a section of road which is subject to a variable speed limit at a speed exceeding that indicated by a speed limit sign. 2 A section of a road is subject to a variable speed limit in relation to a vehicle being driven along it if— a the road is specified in the Schedule; b the vehicle has passed a speed limit sign; and c the vehicle has not subsequently passed— i another speed limit sign indicating a different speed limit; or ii a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit is in force. 3 In relation to a vehicle, the speed limit indicated by a speed limit sign is the speed shown at the time the vehicle passes the sign, or, if higher, the speed limit shown by the sign ten seconds before the vehicle passed the sign. 4 For the purposes of this regulation a speed limit sign is to be taken as not indicating any speed limit if, ten seconds before the vehicle passed it, the sign had indicated no speed limit or that the national speed limit was in force. 5 In this regulation— “national speed limit” has the meaning given by regulation 5(2) of the 2002 Regulations and a traffic sign which indicates that the national speed limit is in force means a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 671 in Schedule 2 to the 2002 Regulations which is— placed on or near a road; and directed at traffic on the carriageway on which the vehicle is being driven; “road” includes the adjacent hard shoulder and verge; “speed limit sign”, in relation to a vehicle, means a traffic sign of the type shown in diagram 670 in Schedule 2 to the 2002 Regulations which is— situated on or near any part of a road specified in the Schedule; and directed at traffic on the carriageway on which the vehicle is being driven. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Transport Stephen Hammond Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Transport 19th September 2013