A FLEET management company is calling for new legislation for speed limiters on commercial vehicles to be made clearer.

New laws being introduced over the next two years mean some commercial vehicles will have to be fitted with speed limiters. They will also be banned from using the outside lane of a motorway.

The regulations will be enforced on January 1, 2007, for vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes operating internationally and from January 2008 for those operating in the UK.

However, fleet management company Masterlease claims that as the legislation depends on the size and weight of the vehicle, there are almost 30 categories and anomalies within these vehicle categories.

Eddie Parker, commercial vehicle expert at Masterlease, explained: ‘Bigger people carriers and stretch limos which are used for taxis or executive travel would, under these rules, classify as normal cars, while some other larger vehicles such as coaches would also be allowed to travel at 70mph.

‘Operators with any confusion over whether their vehicles require speed limiters should contact the Vehicle Operating Standards Agency (VOSA) or their fleet provider for clarification.’