[Article] City centre speed limits to 30 KPH

Bluetonic

MOTORISTS will be forced to reduce their speed in Dublin City centre from the New Year.

Following an independent review of speed limits, Dublin City Council traffic chief Owen Keegan has put forward plans to reduce the maximum speed for vehicles from 50kph to 30kph.

However, speed limits on some roads beyond the immediate city centre could be raised. The area where the new lower speed limit will apply is likely to stretch from Parnell Square to St Stephen's Green; west as far as Capel Street and Aungier Street; and east as far as Gardiner Street and Kildare Street. However, the Quays are likely to be exempt because Mr Keegan said it is a national route and reducing its speed limits may cause a clash with the Department of Transport.

Mr Keegan told a meeting of the council's Transport and Traffic Strategic Committee that the new 30kph speed limits will be brought in as a pilot project, as will two more areas, Ringsend and Marino.

The traffic chief said if the pilot project is a success, "we will then be in a better position to decide if the new speed limit should apply more generally in the city council area".

"The current speed limit of 50kph is just too high in residential areas and the core city centre, on streets like O'Connell Street, which are dominated by pedestrians," Mr Keegan said.

"There is a very strong link between speed and the number of road accidents." Meanwhile, a traffic summit for Dublin has met in a bid to reduce gridlock.

Junior Transport Minister Ivor Callely hosted the first meeting in Clontarf, Dublin, with a wide range of transport and business groups includingthe AA and the Dublin Transportation Office, to discuss a new integrated traffic management system.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1469802&issue_id=13008

sandyg

I dont think ive ever got to do over 30KPH in the city centre with the traffic in the mornings and evenings!!

seamus

Is this after two idiots stepped out in front of a bus yesterday? :rolleyes:

As sandy says, it would be rare/suicidal to get much above 30KPH in the heavily pedestrianised areas anyway.

ambro25

So, will this take place before or after speed trapping is privatised?

Not being cynical, but...

jayok

I have to say I think this is a great idea - but only if implemented properly. Given it is Ireland a balls will be made of it and stupid limits will be placed around the city.

I really think that the current 50 km/hr limit should be reduced to 30 km/hr around all schools and in heavily pedestrianised (sp?) areas. For example, on Dublin's O'Connell street it is permissible to do 50 km/hr but yet people are regularly walking off the pavements to cross the street. At 50 km/hr they have little chance (as demonstrated by the tragic accident during the week when a bus hit two English tourists). I definately think areas like this really needs to be slower.

On the other hand what we probably will see is a 30 km/hr limit on roads such as the N4 out pass Heuston station and a "private" speed camera installed to ensure that no lunatic drivers will do 31km/hr on a three lane carriage way :mad:

Seth Brundle

jayok wrote:

On the other hand what we probably will see is a 30 km/hr limit on roads such as the N4 out pass Heuston station and a "private" speed camera installed to ensure that no lunatic drivers will do 31km/hr on a three lane carriage way :mad:

Actually I believe that will be increased to 60 or 80km/hr as will the N32 (M509 extension) and the Naas Rd.
I also reckon that it will reduce the likleyhood of the talivan (who were just past Hueston both yesterday evening and also the day before). The N4 at liffey valley had its limit increased from 60kmph to 80kmph and the talivan pretty much stopped coming! However, once privatisation arrives there will be speed traps anywhere that is realtively safe so expect them in abundance on these stretches

PaddyFagan

jayok wrote:

I really think that the current 50 km/hr limit should be reduced to 30 km/hr around all schools

I have to disagree with you here - I would be more than happy to have the 30 km/hr limits apply around schools when there are kids around (9-5 Mon-Fri to be on the safe side), but a lot of schools are on main roads into and out of towns/villages and having 30 kmph limits would just encourage people to ignore them!

In fact, I honestly think they'd be better off enforcing the 50 kmph limits around schools (which seem to be ignored by a lot of people anyway) before further reducing the limits.

Just my 2c

Paddy

jayok

PaddyFagan wrote:

I have to disagree with you here - I would be more than happy to have the 30 km/hr limits apply around schools when there are kids around (9-5 Mon-Fri to be on the safe side)

And I would agree with you here, but this is a different debate. For example the 60 km/hr speed limit on the N7 at the moment I agree with when there are workmen on the road. However the 60 km/hr limit on a Sunday afternoon with no-one around is crazy it should be more like 80km/hr. The have successfully implemented these schemes on the continent but what the chances of them doing this successfully here? Not likely.

I think we need to crawl before we can walk. Setting the 30 km/hr limit at schools, etc, first and look at time restrictions.

As for enforcing the speed limits around schools? Once again I agree, but if a 30km/hr zone brings people down to 40 km/hr it is still better than a 50 km/hr leaving them 60km/hr+

Ernie Ball

Most daft of all, to my mind, is the new 50km limit on the Stillorgan Dualer between Donnybrook and at least UCD (haven't been further than that lately). Although some of that stretch looks like it is down to 50kph for construction of a new footbridge, some of the signs also look very permanent.

The speed limit on that stretch of road should be 80kph. Now watch them put it down to 30.

PaddyFagan

jayok wrote:

As for enforcing the speed limits around schools? Once again I agree, but if a 30km/hr zone brings people down to 40 km/hr it is still better than a 50 km/hr leaving them 60km/hr+

All sounds sensible, but this hasn't been my experience - a lot of drivers I've encountered (mainly in and around Celbridge) are of the drive at a constant 70-80 kmph regardless of what the speed limit is variety. These are the drivers I would really worry about - they just seem to be unaware of what the limit is (or don't care).

I know there are a lot of people who always drive that 5-10 kmph over the limit, but at least they're aware of what the limit is........

Paddy

ando

jayok wrote:

(as demonstrated by the tragic accident during the week when a bus hit two English tourists

I'd say the speed limit was not the only problem that caused that accident. The road and pavement in that area is all one, there's no step down from the pavement onto the road so pedestrians think its all just a pedestrian zone and continue walking... Its very dangerous imo to have the pavement and road on the same height level. Last year I was on Wicklow St and on parts of that street, they have the same style pavement/road, all the same level and a guy continued walking onto the road oblivious to me and I ended up driving over his foot

unkel

seamus wrote:

Is this after two idiots stepped out in front of a bus yesterday? :rolleyes:

Yep my initial thought, but:

ando wrote:

I'd say the speed limit was not the only problem that caused that accident. The road and pavement in that area is all one, there's no step down from the pavement onto the road so pedestrians think its all just a pedestrian zone and continue walking...

Indeed. It is badly designed. 30km/h throughout the city centre is not the solution. In quasi-pedestrian areas like the accident spot, it should be pedestrian right of way, problem solved

BrianD

But the 30K limit only applies to very specific streets in the city centre - the popular "shopper" routes between Dublin1 and 2 i.e O'Connell St, College Green etc.

Ando - the only part of Wicklow st where the street level is uniform is the pedestrian area near Grafton St., is it not?

mackerski

I'd like to think that sloppy reporting is responsible for the scarier aspects of this report. 30-zones are very appropriate for many situations, but very inappropriate when applied too broadly. The article, taken at face value, would suggest that we'll have a 30-zone on roads like d'Olier St. And Westmoreland Street, which is daft, as these are well screened from pedestrians and of a size where that kind of limit doesn't bring any benefits.

What you want from a 30-zone is for drivers to sit up and take notice, and think "aha!, better be careful here". But just as a whole A4 page in bold type doesn't draw your attention in any useful way, a very large 30-zone that doesn't correlate with actual hazards is a very bad idea. What you want is 30-zones for places like Wicklow St., parts of Jervis St., The crossing-rich parts of O'Connell St. and that bit of Stephen's Green that only provides car park access. Set them where they are needed and police them. Set them everywhere and people will ignore them everywhere.

Dermot

Shadow_2k5

Well its safer and any how Why the feck would you want to drive in City Center its a feckin joke
they may as well just Ban Cars from going to City Center.
its these Rich Lazy Fecker in ther Lexus,BMW,Merc & Other Lux Cars that feel there to good to take public Transport. City Center is a Joke to Drive in & with all the stupid road changes it would make ya later for work more then Early if you got a prob with Driveing to City Center then dont Drive to it theres the Luas,Bus,Cabs & for the better then us folk rent or get a limo if you are not good to travel with the Common Folk