New speed limits on the outskirts of many villages and small towns and a reduction in the 80kph speed limits on county roads must form part of the new Road Traffic Bill.
This is the view of Fine Gael Galway West TD Paul Connaughton who believes the Bill could be an opportunity to have “a root and branch examination of speed limits as they relate to every town and village in Ireland”.
Dep Connaughton was speaking recently in the Dáil on the proposed bill. He said that over the years motorists were encouraged to travel a distance of 40 miles in one hour to facilitate road users who efficiently and effectively conduct their everyday business.
“It was then the conventional wisdom that speed limits should only protect local communities within built up areas,” he said. However following the scale of development over the last 10 years, those living on the outskirts of villages and towns “are unprotected from fast flowing traffic” as the speed limits “are not pushed out far enough”.
Dep Connaughton said traffic patterns in Co Galway have “changed dramatically” over the past couple of months since the N6 new motorway was opened from Galway to Dublin, while further changes will take place when the N17/N18 opens in a few years time.
He said these roads will have a maximum speed limit of 120kph with unrestricted access. As a result a great deal of traffic will transfer onto such roads, thereby allowing small communities like Ballygar in north Galway and Ballindereen in south Galway, “lay serious claim to having the speed limits extended in the interests of safety for local communities”.
Dep Connaughton also said that the existing 80kph speed limits on village/county roads must be changed as some drivers feel “covered” by the law and are “a danger and a nuisance to local families and pedestrians” driving at speed “along crooked, winding, country lanes”.
