Key:maxspeed:type

maxspeed:type
Description
One of two ways to specify the type of speed limit 
Group: Annotations
Used on these elements
Documented values: 5
Useful combination
Status: in use

maxspeed:type=* describes how a speed limit has been set into force. It should be accompanied by a maxspeed=* tag.

maxspeed:type=* is only in used in certain regions of the world, such as the United Kingdom. In other regions for consistency and simplicity of practice the tag source:maxspeed=* should be used instead, which serves the same function in those regions.

Description

This tag can be used to information about the type of speed limit specified in maxspeed=*. More specific, the tag informs about the method how given speed limit had been set into force. This can be, as example

In cases where traffic signs had been mapped separate from ways as individual nodes or are missing at all, this tag maxspeed:type=sign informs that current speed limit on a way had been set into force by a traffic sign.

The tag maxspeed:type=* is useful in cases where actual speed limit had been tagged as a hard value like maxspeed=120 which is or was valid by law at time of editing. But law might be changed at some time and maximum allowed speed given by law as well. As long as value of a maxspeed tag had not been changed or should not be changed from a numeric value to preferred context related value like maxspeed=NL:motorway, tag maxspeed:type=* may help to identify such cases by automated procedures.

While usage of maxspeed:type=* is growing, in history tag source:maxspeed=* had been used for similar purpose by same semantics. See Speed limits for more information.

Visualisation

The tag maxspeed:type=sign may indicate that applicable speed limit may be shown as traffic sign.

The tag maxspeed:type=* with value <country_code>:<context> may indicate that applicable speed limit may be shown as related symbol or icon, especially for rural or urban areas.

How to use

If a set of attributes of a way containing the tag maxspeed=* should be extended by tag maxspeed:type=*:

  • In cases of an applicable traffic sign using a numeric value for a speed limit: Add tag maxspeed:type=sign
  • In cases of an applicable law limits maximum allowed speed limit: Add a tag maxspeed:type=* with value <country_code>:<context>

Values

UK

Value When to use Maxspeed Taginfo
sign When there are explicit signs stating a speed limit (usually there are also repeater signs every few hundred metres). Tag maxspeed=* as shown on the sign
GB:nsl_restricted When there is an implicit 30 mph speed limit, due to the road being single carriageway and there being street lights. Tag maxspeed=30 mph
GB:nsl_single Single carriageway roads which are national speed limit (the white sign with diagonal black line). Tag maxspeed=60 mph
GB:nsl_dual Dual carriageway roads which are national speed limit (the white sign with diagonal black line). Tag maxspeed=70 mph
GB:motorway Motorways which are national speed limit (the white sign with diagonal black line). Tag maxspeed=70 mph
GB:zone20 20 mph zone, there are usually only signs when the zone starts and ends, without repeater signs inside the zone. Tag maxspeed=20 mph

Possible tagging mistakes

  • maxspeed:type=GB:national ‒ This does not make it clear if it is single or dual carriageway. In most cases it would be possible to work this out from other data, but it is better to tag explicitly as single or dual.
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
  • maxspeed:type=gb:national ‒ As above, and use uppercase for GB.
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
  • maxspeed:type=GB:national_dual ‒ GB:nsl_dual is the established tag.
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
Use GB, not UK, as the country code
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!
If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!

Implied maxspeed values

GB:zone20 GB:zone40 sign
maxspeed=20 mph
sign
maxspeed=30 mph
sign
maxspeed=40 mph
sign
maxspeed=50 mph
sign
maxspeed=60 mph
GB:nsl_restricted GB:nsl_single GB:nsl_dual GB:motorway
Cars, motorcycles, and

car-based van up to 2 tonnes MLW
20 mph 40 mph 20 mph 30 mph 40 mph 50 mph 60 mph 30 mph 60 mph 70 mph 70 mph
Buses, coaches, minibuses up to 12m
Goods vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes MLW
20 mph 40 mph 20 mph 30 mph 40 mph 50 mph 50 mph 30 mph 50 mph 60 mph 70 mph
Towing caravans, trailers, or articulated.

Includes cars, motorcycles, and goods

vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes MLW
20 mph 40 mph 20 mph 30 mph 40 mph 50 mph 50 mph 30 mph 50 mph 60 mph 60 mph
Goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes MLW 20 mph 40 mph 20 mph 30 mph 40 mph 40 mph 40 mph 30 mph 40 mph 50 mph 60 mph

Source: User:Jamicu/UK_Speed_Limits

See also

Main: Speed limits and discussion at Talk:Speed limits
  • source:maxspeed=* - Records the source for a speed limit, either a sign, a context (default limit) or a speedlimit zone
  • zone:maxspeed=* - Used to mark streets which are part of a maxspeed zone
  • zone:traffic=* - Describes if a public road is in a specific trafficzone
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