110kph speed limit ?

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 02:31PM #1

Quite a few dual carriageways which aren't classed as HQDC and motorway sections with only 100kph speed limits.

IMO, a 110kph limit should be introduced for certain stretches of road which a 100kph limit is simply too slow for. For instance.

- Naas Dual Carriageway
- Glanmire bypass
- Blackpool - Blarney
- M50
- Carrigtowhill - Midleton

In the UK, dual carriageways even with at grade junctions have a 113kph speed limit. Would simply make sense to introduce that here for some DC's without the 120kph limit.

ironclaw · 21-07-2013 02:53PM

Why?

The entire M50 section at 100km/h is about 30km. So at 100km/h, thats about 18 mins. At 110km/h it drops to 16 mins. Wow. Getting stuck behind someone for even a few seconds at each junction due to a bad merge or a bad overtake would cost you more time.

The M50 should be 100km/h between 6am and 8pm, and then 120km/h at all other times. Or like some roads in Italy, lanes 2 and 3 are 120km/h and lane 1 is 100km/h. But could you image the carnage and stupidity. Keep it simple as some people are lucky to have the brain power to tie their own shoes let alone be trusted with a car.

djimi · 21-07-2013 02:55PM

There are stretches of the Naas Road that could easily, and should, be 120.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 02:57PM

djimi wrote: »

There are stretches of the Naas Road that could easily, and should, be 120.

There's no reason that Naas to Citywest isn't 120kph IMO.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 02:58PM

ironclaw wrote: »

Why?

The entire M50 section at 100km/h is about 30km. So at 100km/h, thats about 18 mins. At 110km/h it drops to 16 mins. Wow. Getting stuck behind someone for even a few seconds at each junction due to a bad merge or a bad overtake would cost you more time.

The reason the speed limit was reduced is due to the lane's being narrowed from 3.5m to 3m.

Sam Russell · 21-07-2013 03:25PM

I was on the Naas road the other day and noticed the complete absence of vehicles in lane 1, with a complete moving jam in the other two. Maybe if that was tackled, it would improve matters a lot.

South Dublin Council spent a lot of money on the third lane and it goes unused.

The same happens on other three lane motorways and dual-carriageways.

NRA and the RSA should put adverts on TV to tell motorist how to drive on the left on motorways rather than telling them how to drive round roundabouts.

sean1141 · 21-07-2013 03:29PM

Sam Russell wrote: »

I was on the Naas road the other day and noticed the complete absence of vehicles in lane 1, with a complete moving jam in the other two. Maybe if that was tackled, it would improve matters a lot.

South Dublin Council spent a lot of money on the third lane and it goes unused.

The same happens on other three lane motorways and dual-carriageways.

NRA and the RSA should put adverts on TV to tell motorist how to drive on the left on motorways rather than telling them how to drive round roundabouts.

They do..

ironclaw · 21-07-2013 03:36PM

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

The reason the speed limit was reduced is due to the lane's being narrowed from 3.5m to 3m.

Your missing the point. Changing the speed limit would have zero impact on journey time which would probably be the desired effect if your can travel 'fast' What other reason would their be to raise it? I doubt anyone would even notice a difference between 100 and 110. People can barely drive at 100km/h. And those that don't drive at 100km/h, do 120km/h in lane 3 anyway. Its the wild west in places.

I'm all for safe, responsible speed but the M50 is a lost cause as people just cannot drive in this country. Careful, considerate and intelligent driving nearly always gets me home faster than those that plough along in lane 3 etc.

21-07-2013 03:39PM

Let's go Autobahn.

ironclaw · 21-07-2013 03:44PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Let's go Autobahn.

And the corresponding death and carnage rate:

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 03:46PM

sean1141 wrote: »

They do..

The most useless ad on TV.

The RSA drills into our head telling us not to speed, yet in this ad, they don't go down the same route at all.

They simply tell is to return to the left most lane after overtaking. A better option is to warning us to drive in the left lane or face penalty points. But this ploy is reserved solely for speeding. Sad.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 03:58PM

ironclaw wrote: »

And the corresponding death and carnage rate:

I'd actually be for 130kph being introduced.

In about 30 years time when people understand how to use motorways.

Mint Sauce · 21-07-2013 04:15PM

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

I'd actually be for 130kph being introduced.

In about 30 years time when people understand how to use motorways.

What percentage of the number killed each year happen on motorways. Isn't there some statistic of motorways being the safest place to drive, but if an accident does occur, its more servere.

As far as I know, the N4 DC outside Sligo had been built to motorway standard, only difference seems to be is the colour of the signage, and a broken rather than solid yellow lines, also has an alternative route for its entire lenght. Often see drivers doing motorway speed+ on it. Would be nice to do motorway speed on it, but guess it would only shortern your journey by a few minutes.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 04:20PM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

What percentage of the number killed each year happen on motorways. Isn't there some statistic of motorways being the safest place to drive, but if an accident does occur, its more servere.

As far as I know, the N4 DC outside Sligo had been built to motorway standard, only difference seems to be is the colour of the signage, and a broken rather than solid yellow lines, also has an alternative route for its entire lenght. Often see drivers doing motorway speed+ on it. Would be nice to do motorway speed on it, but guess it would only shortern your journey by a few minutes.

I'm not arguing with you at all. That section was most likely built to HQDC standard but hasn't been designated as motorway as the NRA feels it should be allowed to be used by non-motorway vehicles or that section of DC is too short to be designated as motorway.

Why not write to county councillors asking them to put though by-laws which would raise the speed limit of this DC to 120kph. Perfectly allowable. It was done on both the N22 and N25 in Cork and rightfully so IMO.

IMO, so many people in this country cannot use motorways correctly. I drive in the UK now and then and the difference is stark. In Ireland

1. People constantly are in the overtaking lane when overtaking
2. So many drive in the middle lane on 3 lane roads (the worst of the lot)
3. People not checking mirrors when changing lanes
4. When you overtake people and then they speed up, overtake you and slow down again.

Point 4 in my opinion is just shocking. Using cruise control in Ireland is pointless. You start to pass a person and they start to speed up and stop you overtaking them. You pass some people and they'll continue to speed up and overtake you again. Sickening.

Mint Sauce · 21-07-2013 04:39PM

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

I'm not arguing with you at all. That section was most likely built to HQDC standard but hasn't been designated as motorway as the NRA feels it should be allowed to be used by non-motorway vehicles or that section of DC is too short to be designated as motorway.

.

Wasn't arguing either, just wondering what the stats were, and in terms of the N4 outside sligo, as more of a statment rather than a question, wondering what the justification is, for designating it as Motorway or as HQDC.

Sam Russell · 21-07-2013 04:44PM

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

I'm not arguing with you at all. That section was most likely built to HQDC standard but hasn't been designated as motorway as the NRA feels it should be allowed to be used by non-motorway vehicles or that section of DC is too short to be designated as motorway.

Why not write to county councillors asking them to put though by-laws which would raise the speed limit of this DC to 120kph. Perfectly allowable. It was done on both the N22 and N25 in Cork and rightfully so IMO.

IMO, so many people in this country cannot use motorways correctly. I drive in the UK now and then and the difference is stark. In Ireland

1. People constantly are in the overtaking lane when overtaking
2. So many drive in the middle lane on 3 lane roads (the worst of the lot)
3. People not checking mirrors when changing lanes
4. When you overtake people and then they speed up, overtake you and slow down again.

Point 4 in my opinion is just shocking. Using cruise control in Ireland is pointless. You start to pass a person and they start to speed up and stop you overtaking them. You pass some people and they'll continue to speed up and overtake you again. Sickening.

I agree with most of this. If we had 130kph on motorways and HQDC, then the slow drivers would have to move over and bunching would be less.

However, there are enough morons to make that approach dangerous.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 05:11PM

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Wasn't arguing either, just wondering what the stats were, and in terms of the N4 outside sligo, as more of a statment rather than a question, wondering what the justification is, for designating it as Motorway or as HQDC.

How short is that section of DC ? The NRA doesn't want to redesignate short sections of DC as motorway.

As I say though, 120kph should be applied by the County Council if the road is capable of it.

Mint Sauce · 21-07-2013 05:31PM

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

How short is that section of DC ? The NRA doesn't want to redesignate short sections of DC as motorway.

As I say though, 120kph should be applied by the County Council if the road is capable of it.

Google maps giving 10k. thought it was slightly longer me self.

porsche boy · 21-07-2013 05:43PM

The N7 has a limit of 100kph due to the short length of the on & off ramps. The M50 as has been said has reduced the width of the lanes to permit a third but with the disadvantage of needing the lesser limit. Other roads will have similar explanations. Its daft and fustrating but we have to accept dept of transport get hoodwinked by the road builders 'easy way out' tactics. I saw this first hand when dealing with one such company who assured the then minister that a 'semi-free flowing junction' at Newlands Cross would not create any traffic issues and that a junction with bridges & underpasses would not be possible at that location. Anyway 5 or 6 years on and here we are doing the 'impossible'.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 05:46PM

porsche boy wrote: »

The N7 has a limit of 100kph due to the short length of the on & off ramps. The M50 as has been said has reduced the width of the lanes to permit a third but with the disadvantage of needing the lesser limit. Other roads will have similar explanations. Its daft and fustrating but we have to accept dept of transport get hoodwinked by the road builders 'easy way out' tactics. I saw this first hand when dealing with one such company who assured the then minister that a 'semi-free flowing junction' at Newlands Cross would not create any traffic issues and that a junction with bridges & underpasses would not be possible at that location. Anyway 5 or 6 years on and here we are doing the 'impossible'.

DCs in the UK with at grade junction warrant a speed limit of 113kph in most cases though. You have junctions with cars turning right across 2 lanes of traffic and the speed limit is still 113kph.

I don't see any issue on the Naas Dual carriageway with a 120kph limit.

starlit · 21-07-2013 05:53PM

If they do it for one carriage way they should do it for all of them, namely others limerick-shannon, mallow-cork, roads before and near cork city with dual carriage ways.

Yawns · 21-07-2013 05:57PM

Sam Russell wrote: »

I was on the Naas road the other day and noticed the complete absence of vehicles in lane 1, with a complete moving jam in the other two. Maybe if that was tackled, it would improve matters a lot.

Sssssh!!

That's a private lane for myself and clearly only a few others who know that it's there at all. Sail all the way from Naas to Tallaght junction with rarely a car ahead of me or behind.

cletus · 21-07-2013 06:04PM

Yawns wrote: »

Sssssh!!

That's a private lane for myself and clearly only a few others who know that it's there at all. Sail all the way from Naas to Tallaght junction with rarely a car ahead of me or behind.

As long as your willing to go 80kph like half the drivers in the middle lane. Unless of course you are overtaking on the left, but obviously your not doing that

Yawns · 21-07-2013 06:09PM

I'll be honest. If the road is fairly empty I'll go and overtake. If it's busy I'll continue to overtake on left. I've done it in front of and behind guards numerous times without any hassle whatsoever.

AugustusMinimus · 21-07-2013 06:10PM

Yawns wrote: »

I'll be honest. If the road is fairly empty I'll go and overtake. If it's busy I'll continue to overtake on left. I've done it in front of and behind guards numerous times without any hassle whatsoever.

If the guards have a problem with you undertaking, its the idiot in the middle lane they should be pulling over.

Yawns · 21-07-2013 06:13PM

No if a guard was to pull me over for it, I'll be honest about it. I know I'm in the wrong for overtaking on the left when the traffic is not stopped / moving slowly. Not gonna make excuses for it. I'll be prepared to take a fine / points for it if needed. Hasn't happened yet and the risk of it happening is fairly low. If it the road is empty I usually overtake.

I do get your point about middle lane hoggers. Actually witnessed once a guard on a bike signalling drivers to pull into the driving lane.

Leonard Hofstadter · 22-07-2013 12:15AM

I think there are too many dual carriageways in Ireland with too low a speed limit. Let's not forget that ALL dual carriageways in the UK have a speed limit of 70 mph (unless otherwise stated). This includes ones with no hard shoulder, LILOs, the ability to 'turn right' against oncoming traffic travelling at this speed, and so on. The likes of the South Link or the South Ring Road in Cork would be 70 mph in the UK - it is a dual carriageway so that's the limit.

I would like to see 110 km/h introduced on the following roads:

- N40 Cork South Ring Road (on the bits that are not currently 120)
- N7 Naas bypass - Red Cow interchange (but in conjunction with proper enforcement of the 'keep left unless overtaking' rule it should be 120)
- M50 (the parts that are not 120)
- N20 Blarney bypass

The following roads should definitely be 120, in my opinion:
- N21 Adare bypass
- N18 Limerick tunnel - Shannon Airport Junction (the bit where the road becomes the M18 and gets a limit of 120)
- N4 DC approaching Sligo (insane that this is only 100)
- M8 Dunkettle Interchange - Watergrasshill bypass (currently 100)
- N25 Waterford City Bypass

22-07-2013 12:18AM

Always brings a smile, when I see lane ways, about 5 foot wide, and 100 metres long, marked as 80km p/h

Cienciano · 22-07-2013 12:31AM

M50 should definitely stay at 100. Too many people struggle at that speed tbh. I guarantee you can't drive on the M50 for more than 1 minute without seeing someone doing something stupid.

CiniO · 22-07-2013 12:40AM

Cienciano wrote: »

M50 should definitely stay at 100. Too many people struggle at that speed tbh. I guarantee you can't drive on the M50 for more than 1 minute without seeing someone doing something stupid.

Agree.
While I'd be more than happy to see increase of speed limit on most motorways to at least 150 km/h or over, but M50 (and other busy parts with junctions like Athlone bypass, etc) should stay at nothing more than 100km/h.

AugustusMinimus · 22-07-2013 12:40AM

captainspeed wrote: »

I think there are too many dual carriageways in Ireland with too low a speed limit. Let's not forget that ALL dual carriageways in the UK have a speed limit of 70 mph (unless otherwise stated). This includes ones with no hard shoulder, LILOs, the ability to 'turn right' against oncoming traffic travelling at this speed, and so on. The likes of the South Link or the South Ring Road in Cork would be 70 mph in the UK - it is a dual carriageway so that's the limit.

I would like to see 110 km/h introduced on the following roads:

- N40 Cork South Ring Road (on the bits that are not currently 120)
- N7 Naas bypass - Red Cow interchange (but in conjunction with proper enforcement of the 'keep left unless overtaking' rule it should be 120)
- M50 (the parts that are not 120)
- N20 Blarney bypass

The following roads should definitely be 120, in my opinion:
- N21 Adare bypass
- N18 Limerick tunnel - Shannon Airport Junction (the bit where the road becomes the M18 and gets a limit of 120)
- N4 DC approaching Sligo (insane that this is only 100)
- M8 Dunkettle Interchange - Watergrasshill bypass (currently 100)
- N25 Waterford City Bypass

I originally thought the corner radii on the Glanmire bypass were too tight for 120kph. But in retrospect, there's a corner on the cashel bypass which is prob tighter than anything on the Glanmire bypass and is still 120kph.

I can't workout why the Blackpool - Blarney section is only 100kph. Road is fine for 120kph. I'd imagine when M20 south is done that this section will be upped to 120kph.

110kph speed limit ?

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