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Child Item

Local Roads - New Speed Limits

gooseman12

So starting from February 7th, most local roads in Ireland will see the speed limit reduced from 80kmph to 60kmph. There are a few exemptions where certain criteria are met but in general the vast majority of L roads will see a reduction.

The thing that I don't get is, there seems to be a complete lack of awareness that this change is being made and being made in the next 2 weeks. Anyone I have spoken to about it is completely unaware of the change. There seems to be absolutely no awareness campaign and very little news reporting of the change.

Given it is one of the more, if not the most, significant change to our speed limits since the miles to kilometres changeover, I can't quite understand how it isn't being discussed more. Even here on boards, I have seen very little about it.

I am assuming the government probably don't want to be associated with the change and will likely blame it on the previous administration, specifically the Greens, and it is also being forced on the councils so they don't have any major stake in it.

PS: I'm hoping to avoid the attack on rural Ireland/wont be enforced anyway/speeding ticket cash grab comments that usually come up with this sort of thing, but i thought it deserved a thread anyway.

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No_Hope_Club

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123176326#Comment_123176326

Better for who? Speeding motorists?

The default is now at an appropriate level for most of local rural roads. Any that justify a higher limit, that can be done.

Calling Road Safety "lazy virtue signalling" is insulting to anyone who has died on our roads. Their families would do anything to have them back.

By the way, calling roads "dangerous" may help you sleep at night but it's the users who make it dangerous.....go figure.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123176579#Comment_123176579

And yet you don't attempt to prove me wrong.

Your contributions here have all been emphasising your perceived sense of victimhood. You try and portray us as anomalies in Europe when we try and reduce road deaths but clearly showing your lack of knowledge or experience on continental roads. You think roards should suit people within the safety of their vehicle and anyone else can seemingly feck off elsewhere.

And this all is not a personal dig at you - you're entitled to your opinion. But at least try and empathise with other road users!

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123176359#Comment_123176359

Typical response from only game is town type merchants. Anyone who doesn't bend the knee and fawn over official Ireland policy/ideas is considered some kind of inferior being. Reference the regular reference to childish/classroom behaviour on this and similar threads. No wonder people are so apathetic of politics in this country.

Pale Red

Yes, this system can be used to enforce average speed penalties, but that works require new law

That law must already be in for the M7 between Nenagh and Birdhill. Would not be a case and adding other stretches of road to the law. Possibly done by Statutory Instrument so a Minister can sign it without Dáil approval being needed.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175156#Comment_123175156

No. The times shown on those boards are based on the average flow of traffic at that time.

Here's how it works: at a given point along the motorway, there are ANPR cameras that read a random selection of numberplates, and records the plate and the time it was seen. Further along, another set of ANPR cameras watches out for the same plates, notes when the cars reach that position, and by subtracting one time from another, the computer knows how fast each of the hundred or so cars has travelled. Throw all the times into a list, average them, and you've got a really accurate measurement of traffic speed. (The plate numbers themselves are not actually stored, and the information is deleted immediately after the time calculation is done, by the way). That data is used to update the "time to Junction" signs and also to decide on what variable speed limit to apply.

(Yes, this system can be used to enforce average speed penalties, but that works require new law.)

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175144#Comment_123175144

Happy to debate, but first can you provide evidence that the thing you were complaining about actually exists?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123176326#Comment_123176326

The new approach means a roads speed limit needs accountability. We've had decades of deaths on the roads bring blamed on a dangerous bends, etc rather than on driver errors (which they were!). Now, engineers and councillors, will have to justify and sign off on higher speed limits and the old excuses shouldn't be an option.

Your ongoing childish tantrum over this just shows the selfishness of your claims. You're not considering other road users at all. You just think you are being punished because for some reason the world revolves around you - but, really, it doesn't!

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175763#Comment_123175763

You can be sure the odd token checkpoint will be set up on a long straight safe bit of roads to ensure the kpi's are met.

Youre right though, no one will be caught on the actual dangerous parts of local roads even if doing far in excess of the previous 80kph limit

creedp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123176017#Comment_123176017

It would have been a lot better to leave the default alone and actually identify the more dangerous roads requiring lower speed limits. You know like put a bit of effort in and do it right instead of the lazy virtue signalling gibberish that actalually happenned

No_Hope_Club

The 60 kmh limit is a complete joke.

It's not and will reduce the risk of collisions. I'm sure all reasonable road users will agree. We'll also agree that other measures, like enforcement and engineering works, are also required.

No_Hope_Club

Are posters deliberately missing that all that happens is the default speed limit is reduced.

Any road can have a different special speed limit than the default. It just needs to be voted upon by the councillors.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175751#Comment_123175751

that's separate to what this thread is about though. it has its own thread… somewhere.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123157359#Comment_123157359

🤣 No, and no one will ever be caught for it.

pgj2015

The urban areas changing to 30 km ph is ridiculous, even 40 km ph wouldnt be great but at least better than 30 km ph, which no one will obey anyway.

Jayuu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175524#Comment_123175524

He's not correct. Took a bit of digging but this is from the Citizens Information website.

In 2025, many speed limits in Ireland will be reduced.

The first change comes in on 7 February 2025 and affects rural local roads:

The default speed limit on rural local roads will reduce from 80km/h to 60km/h.
The rural speed limit sign will indicate a limit of 60km/h from 7 February 2025. This sign is a white circle with five diagonal black lines with another plate that states “Go Mall / Slow”.

Later in 2025, more reductions to speed limits will come in. These include:

A drop to the speed limit in ‘urban cores’ to 30km/h. Urban cores include built up areas, housing estates and town centres.
The speed limit on national secondary roads will reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h.

So national primary routes will remain at 100km/h as before but secondary routes will be reduced to 80km/h

mickdw

''Deputy Lawless also criticised Transport Infrastructure Ireland's approach, highlighting that according to a TII engineer on RTÉ Radio, all roads without a central barrier will be reduced to 80km/h''

It was certainly on the cards to reduce everything thats not a dual carriageway to 80.

BagofWeed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175236#Comment_123175236

I'd love to know how you came to that conclusion !

mickdw

Local TD has been saying we will not have a 100 kmh road in the county. Nothing surprises me.

They really have gone nuts this time and it will backfire in my view.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175236#Comment_123175236

Surely the N17 will be 100 km/h or has the local authority decided it should be 80 km/h.

mickdw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175124#Comment_123175124

Sorry yes you are likely correct. Everything in county mayo including N roads are proposed to be 80 kmh but they are all secondary roads.

We won't have a 100 kmh road in the entire county.

Viscount Aggro

M50 video displays do actively encourage driving at speed.

The journey times to various motorway exits, are based on driving at the maximum speed. I drive at 80kph in the I side lane, and that's what I feel comfortable with.

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123174960#Comment_123174960

If you disagree with my point, then refute it. Obviously, you were unable to.

Gooser14

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123174985#Comment_123174985

Where did see that all undivided roads are becoming 80 km/h? It's my understanding that National Primary roads (identified as N50 & below) are remaining as 100 km/h & National Secondary roads (identified as N51 & above) only are being reduced from 100 to 80 km/h.

mickdw

Have all the local roads been audited to establish those that can retain the 80 kmh limit?

We have 4 local roads nearby that have been selected to retain the 80 kmh limit but its quite suspect. I'd like to see the paper trail and why some equivalent roads did not make the grade.

The 60 kmh limit is a complete joke. As fpr every undivided road innthe country becoming 80, I think there will be widespread revolt.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123172473#Comment_123172473

I think you’re arguing with your own imagination here….

Charles Babbage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123170437#Comment_123170437

There is no point in ridiculous traffic calming at 10pm in July, because a school needs it at 8:45am in November.

Such signs should not be on a fixed schedule they should operate when the school needs them with no nonsense enforcement for those periods.

KrisW1001

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123171637#Comment_123171637

The signage manual (from where I got that illustration) says it this is a "periodic" Variable Speed Limit sign, where the limit applies only at certain times. I’m sure I’ve seen them with the speed part lit and not lit, but you’re right that most of these simply repeat the limit that's in effect already, with the addition of the yellow flashing lamps at school times.

Raised road surfaces are no deterrent these days, with the proliferation of SUV-styled cars with longer suspension travel. Pinches and chicanes are a much more effective way of passively slowing traffic, especially as they make travelling at speed more uncomfortable for drivers of bigger, heavier cars with higher centre of gravity… like SUVs.

hans aus dtschl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123170694#Comment_123170694

I was wondering how it would work. I have seen one of those signs but it's always visible and just flashes at school hours. I never realised it was supposed to be part of a variable limit scheme: the speed limit in the area is 50 already, and there's pedestrians there all day and night anyway. I don't see the value in it, just design the road so that nobody will do above the limit there. Put in raised table crossings and whatnot.

pauly58

The condition of a lot of L & R roads here in West Cork is appalling : some are worse than they were fourty years ago. Badly repaired, patches on the patches, potholes. Reducing these speed limits is the the same as the doors on the alcohol aisle in supermarkets, just for the Government to be seen to be doing something.

Enforcement of careless driving would be a positive start.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123169367#Comment_123169367

So you’re ok with inaccurate reports?

No I'm not.