National secondaries - speed limit reduction to 80 km/h

BrianD3

Are there any updates on this. My understanding is that the limit is to be reduced from next month. Is there any word on what roads if any will retain a 100 km/h limit. I'm thinking of a few routes that have seen major upgrades in recent years e.g.the N52 and N55. 80 km/h is going to feel very slow on those upgraded parts.

I'm not sure what effect the reduction will have on travel times though. Lots of HGVs on these routes and lots of car driver who already do 80 km/h or less and won't overtake anything. If the "70 km/h everywhere" brigade decide to slow down to 50 in response to the new limits that will affect travel times but that's highly unlikely.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058411049/national-secondaries-speed-limit-reduction-to-80-km-h

I think this will end up being a fairly minor change. Unlike the local roads, National Secondary roads have speed-limit signs set up at the side of the road, so limits have already been set on some stretches - there are a lot of “80” signs on national secondary roads already. I can’t see any wide, new-built secondary road being reduced from 100 to 80.

The “70 km/h everywhere” brigade never know what the speed limit is, so I wouldn’t worry about them slowing down… except when they see a speed van, of course.

chalkitdown1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123476850#Comment_123476850

My favourite thing about driving from Mallow to Cork is being behind someone doing 80 in a 100 zone, then they see the speed van and slam on the brakes and proceed to do 60 cos' they have no idea what the limit is.

loyatemu

There's a number of R roads with 100 limits in Cork and Meath, I'm sure elsewhere as well. Will these be affected? Crazy limit to have on any road without hard shoulders IMO.

Chris_5339762

I look forward to seeing the horrific overtaking happening on the N22 Ballincollig - Macroom section, or the N71 on the straight bit just before Halfway if they go through with a blanket 80kmh limit.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123496098#Comment_123496098

National roads 1 to 50 are primary, numbers 51 to 99 (if it existed) are secondary. This regulation applies only to secondary roads.

N22 is not a secondary road so nothing will change here, but that overtaking you talk about already happens because average traffic speed drops from 100 on the new road to around 75 km/h west of Ovens at any time of day.

N71 is a secondary road, so could see changes, but I'm confident the section from Halfway to the city will keep its 100 limit, as it's a modern, engineered road with good sightlines. Just south of the Halfway roundabout is unfit to be at 100, and if you watch your speedo you'll see that traffic already does slow to around 80 here.. and that's kind of the point of this review.