Dual carriageways
Dual carriageways have a separate width of road surface for traffic in each direction. So there's more than just a painted line between you and oncomers. "Dual carriageway" doesn't mean a higher speed limit, nor how many lanes go each way (but there's usually more than one, so sometimes you'll need to change lanes). They are not the same as motorways.
In towns, their speed limit is typically 40mph. Out of town, it's 50–70mph. It's higher because these roads are safer. The limit on any road is 30mph if there's regular street lighting BUT NO speed signs; if there's NO lighting AND NO signs, it's the National Speed Limit of 60mph (70mph on "duals"). |
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Dual-carriageways often have slip-roads to help traffic to join and leave, and are safer for overtaking (often involving a change of lane).