NRA against 50 mph limit on new dual carriageway

Victor

All them extra reminders must be confusing :rolleyes:

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/3082009?view=Eircomnet

NRA against 50 mph limit on new dual carriageway
From:ireland.com
Monday, 26th April, 2004

The National Roads Authority (NRA) has criticised a decision by Wicklow County Council to place a 50 miles per hour permanent speed limit on a new €90 million motorway/dual carriageway designed for speeds of up to 70 miles per hour.

The decision was taken by the council because it was concerned that the 60 m.p.h zone through the Glen of the Downs would be "too confusing" to motorists by creating too many different speed zones along the N11.

The controversial five kilometre road, which opened late last year, has had a temporary 40 m.p.h limit since it opened because of work being carried out along the stretch.

A new 60 m.p.h limit along most of his length was due to be introduced, with a short 40 m.p.h zone at one end of the road through Kilmacanogue village, and another short 50 mile limit on a sharp bend at the southern end of the road.

However, earlier this week Wicklow County Council introduced a new permanent speed limit of 50 m.p.h along most of the road, with the 40 m.p.h zone remaining through Kilmacanogue, which is less than the limit in place before the new road. A spokeswoman for Wicklow County Council Ms Christine Flood said the decision not to introduce a 60 m.p.h zone was taken almost unanimously by Wicklow County Council last month. The councillors felt the original proposal would see limits changing from 40 m.p.h to 60 m.p.h, to 50 m.p.h and back to 60 m.p.h along a short five kilometre stretch.

"They felt it was too confusing for motorists, particularly in the era of penalty points." The local superintendent in Bray also agreed with the councillors.

However, Mr Michael Egan a spokesman for the NRA said it was "the authority's view is that it was appropriate for the greater length of the road to be subject to a 60 mile per hour limit".

"We conveyed that opinion to the County Council," he said. While the NRA has an advisory role on speed limits on national routes, each local authority has autonomy and responsibility for setting speed limits within its area, within the national limit.

He said that while the NRA did not intend to get into "a head to head" debate on the speed limit, it hoped that councillors would "review their decision" and have the speed limit "changed accordingly".

"If a road is capable of taking traffic at 60 miles per hour, then it should have the national speed limit," he said. The speed limits on dual carriageways should not be reduced below the national limit of 60 m.p.h unless there was a safety issue on a particular stretch, he said.

Pataman

it wont be too long before the boy and girls in blue are out with their haridryers. Another money spinning racket.

mike65

Stillorgan Dual Carraigway syndrome strikes again...I'd love to know why bunch of elected oiks can decide what the speed limit can be on public roads.

I imagine almost any other statutory body would be better qualified...

Mike.