New speed limits

E92

I remember reading on this board that we would have faster speed limits in Cork i.e 120 km/h on some roads. Any word on when this will actually happen,as I remember reading about this several weeks ago?

Stark

Lots of red tape to get through yet as far as I know.

Bards

From Today's Irish Examiner
============================
County to change 1,000 speed limits but national road proposals rejected

By Seán O’Riordan
MORE than 1,000 speed limits are set to be changed in Cork on local and regional roads.


But the National Roads Authority has firmly rejected proposals by Cork Co Council to alter speed limits on national roads within the county.

The NRA has been widely criticised by county councillors for its decision which came despite the fact that comprehensive surveys were carried out by council engineers and gardaí over the past two years.

The changes were prompted by the controversial Road Traffic Act (2004), which converted miles per hour speed limits signs into kilometres per hour.

In many cases, inappropriate signs were erected and these are shortly to be replaced on secondary and minor roads.

However, the NRA will not allow the council proceed with erecting new signs on national roads and has, to the surprise of council officials, requested more information. Sources within the council claimed the NRA sought accident reports and road curvature reports, all of which its own officials should have access to anyway.

One council official described the NRA’s decision as “quite disappointing” which was mild compared to some of the comments it provoked from county councillors.

“I presume they (the NRA) know that speed kills. This is an insult to our engineers and the gardaí,” Cllr Veronica Neville (FG) said.

Her party colleagues Cllr Kevin Murphy and Aileen Pyne were also critical.

“Speed limits are something that came up time and time again on the doorsteps during the election campaign,” said Cllr Pyne.

Cllr Tom Sheahan said that many speed limit signs around the county were inappropriate and while the NRA may be dithering it was important that the council acted as quickly as possible.

E92

I'm assuming this to mean that there will be no additional 120 km/h limits then. If true,its such a shame. I would echo the comments of the councillors re the NRA, Only in Ireland would you build a Motorway, then not call it a Motorway, and then not have a Motorway speed limit, even though through all intents and purposes those roads are Motorway standard therefore Motorway in all but name. Hopefully they will re-classify those roads to Motorway, then maybe we mioght finally be allowed to legally travel at a speed limit which is quite slow by European standards(the 120 one is on the lower end of the scale; most countries are 130, in Germany theres none and even when there is a speed limit on an Autobahn its only a suggestion so you cant be caught for breaking the limit, some Motorways(3 lane IIRC) in Italy are now 150 km/h; though letting Italien drivers drive at even half that speed is dangerous )

embraer170

in Germany theres none and even when there is a speed limit on an Autobahn its only a suggestion so you cant be caught for breaking the limit,

Actually they are enforced and strictly too.

Alun

E92 wrote:

... in Germany theres none and even when there is a speed limit on an Autobahn its only a suggestion so you cant be caught for breaking the limit, ...

Absolute and utter bollix.

There's a suggested limit on the unrestricted parts of the Autobahn netowrk called the Richtgeschwindigkeit of 130km/h, which if you're involved in an accident and it can be proved that you were over this, you can be held partly responsible. Where there are explicit speed limits, they are just that, and you can and will be prosecuted for exceeding them.

E92

Yes, you're right re speed limits, I withdraw my comment. I knew about the 'suggestion' and Insurance consequences. As for enforcement, well lets not tell the taxi driver in Germany who drove me to the airport at 140 km/h ... in a 70 km/h zone:D . They ignore speed limits on the Autobahn. I was there for 3 weeks last summer near Cologne, and there is a speed limit of 120 km/h on that Autobahn(from 6 am to 7 pm, otherwise theres none on certain parts of it), and nobody, and I mean nobody went at 120 km/h if the traffic was free enough. 140 would have been slow. But in towns and cities, 30 km/h and 50 km/h zones(30s in particular) are frequently(and strictly) enforced. They are the only limits Germans obey in my experience. 70 km/h is closer to 110. 100 km/h is closer to 130. And Autobahn, speed limits or no speed limits are a law into their own hands in terms of speed. People hitting the ton(100 mph) wasnt unusual.

Of course by the end of the decade there will almost certainly be a speed limit on the entire Autobahn network, because it will reduce CO2 emissions by about 2% of the roads pollution, which in turn is only a small amount of the entire country's pollution, so basically it will make practically make no difference to Climate Change(having a speed limit). But if the Germans don't do it(and Angela Merkel has vowed not to have anymore speed limits put on the Autobahn), then the EU will force them to do it. If we dont raise the speed limits now here then we will never get the chance, because we wont be allowed to because it will increase our emissions(everything) by .028% perhaps, a meaningless difference. Of course if it werent for all the EUs pedestrian safety regulations(and other rules which pile on the weight in a car), they car companies could have actually achieved the emissions target of 140 g/km by next year.

Byu the way, and I know this is off topic, but werent the crowd who want the Germans to slow down the same crowd who were very proud of the fact that sooon we'll be able to fly to America for a lot less because of de-regulation in that sector? Anyone see the irony in that. One law for the car, another law for everything else.....

Padraig Mor

Approach roads to the N25 between Carrigtwohill and Dunkettle have had new speed limit signs erected, but shrouded in black plastic for the moment. Anyone know if this is about to go to 120 k/h?

Shermanator

Ballincollig bypass in Cork increased to 120Kmph 3 weeks ago

murphym7

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Approach roads to the N25 between Carrigtwohill and Dunkettle have had new speed limit signs erected, but shrouded in black plastic for the moment. Anyone know if this is about to go to 120 k/h?

At 120Kph now.

corktina

not that you can actually DO 120 with all the outside lane cruisers still doing 100 cos they havent seen the signs (possibly):mad:

Chris_533976

And the tractors and cyclists still littering these roads.

Disgraceful without motorway regulations.