Maintenance vans in Garda spots

tc20

Hi all,
just wondering if anyone can throw some light on this...
Im not a regular M50 user (thankfully i have a 15minute commute) but twice in the last two weekends i have spotted Ford Transits, marked with "Motorway Maintenance", parked up on the Garda only ramps, on the M50 southbound, between Leopardstown & Dundrum exits. As i went by, it did look like the driver had set up some sort of a monitoring device in the cab. Was it a speed camera? Or what could it have been, a traffic counter perhaps? Part of this area is under a 60km/h restriction.

Cheers

Alun

I've also seen them on the M50 northbound on the first "Garda vehicles only" ramp after the M11/M50 junction, no unusual speed restrictions in place on this section though. Didn't think this was allowed?

The so-called "Motorway Maintenance" vehicles might be better employed actually doing a spot of motorway maintenance, something I've never seen them doing despite all the cr@p strewn all over both the hard shoulder and central reservation on the M50.

cbyrne

I think he has a laptop in the cab, there are signs on the M50 about these guys as well - something about traffic management, I'd guess its something to do with the upcoming pay per use charge of the M50 I'm guessing they're checking how much traffic is on each section.

Wishbone Ash

Alun wrote: »

The so-called "Motorway Maintenance" vehicles might be better employed actually doing a spot of motorway maintenance,

AFAIK the term 'motorway maintenance' is a legal thing to exempt the vehicle in question from normal motorway regulations. It does not have to be engaged in actual physical maintenance.

Alun

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

AFAIK the term 'motorway maintenance' is a legal thing to exempt the vehicle in question from normal motorway regulations. It does not have to be engaged in actual physical maintenance.

Only in Ireland

Seriously though, unless my eyes deceive me I have seen some signs on the M50 recently advertising "Motorway maintenance provided by xxxxx" or something like that.

Wishbone Ash

Alun wrote: »

Only in Ireland

Seriously though, unless my eyes deceive me I have seen some signs on the M50 recently advertising "Motorway maintenance provided by xxxxx" or something like that.

What I meant was that they may not be engaged in physical road maintenance (eg. tarmac' contractor )but may be doing surveys, electrical work etc.

green123

yeah i've seen them aswell
one had what was like a turret or conning tower on top of the roof !

NBar

green123 wrote: »

yeah i've seen them aswell
one had what was like a turret or conning tower on top of the roof !

That van was with the lads surveying the M50 for the new upgrade works from the Tallaght exit to Dundrum and also over on the Finglas section of the M50 . The other vans parked up on the Garda ramps are emergency breakdown vans which are part of the NRA's new Motorway emergency asssitance scheme.

Guy:Incognito

Whatever they're doing, they are safer parked in the garda bay than in the hard shoulder. Leave them be I say.

DonJose

Stekelly wrote: »

Whatever they're doing, they are safer parked in the garda bay than in the hard shoulder. Leave them be I say.

Exactly, if they park on the hard shoulder you'll get people bitching, if they park SAFELY in the Garda spot you'll still get people bitching :rolleyes:

Gregor Samsa

Alun wrote: »

Only in Ireland

... and the UK: http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/700.aspx

The Novacastrian

I got on the M50 the other day and the traffic was mad, so I was freaked as usual. However, the traffic wasn't that bad, everyone had just slowed down at the point where one of these vans were parked to 'rubber neck' it. Now that p1sses me off.

tc20

Thanks for the replies lads...

I was hoping it wasn't a privatised speed camera he had in the van , tho AFAIK these aren't in operation yet.
Most likely, as mentioned, they're involved in traffic monitoring.

cheers

G Luxel

Could the gardai use these vehicles for speeding offences etc? Arent they above the law??:)

Alun

phutyle wrote: »

... and the UK: http://www.highways.gov.uk/aboutus/700.aspx

Not sure what you're getting at there. That page appears to be all about best practice in temporary traffic management situations.

Anyway, at least the UK has a proper Highways Agency in place that actually does what it says on the tin, unlike here where we seem to just build 'em and forget 'em.

MarkN

DonJose wrote: »

Exactly, if they park on the hard shoulder you'll get people bitching, if they park SAFELY in the Garda spot you'll still get people bitching :rolleyes:

The above, will cause below.

goslie wrote: »

I got on the M50 the other day and the traffic was mad, so I was freaked as usual. However, the traffic wasn't that bad, everyone had just slowed down at the point where one of these vans were parked to 'rubber neck' it. Now that p1sses me off.

Guy:Incognito

Well theres no accounting for stupid people. They are going to find ways to perform their stupidity duties regardless of how cautious the rest of us are.