New 60ph/m speed limits on roads across Laois from this Friday

A FINE Gael councillor said the new speed limits that are coming into force on Friday “seems to be a more revenue generating exercise than saving lives.” 

Cllr Paddy Buggy made his feelings known when councillors were given notice of the new speed limits at the January meeting of Laois County Council.

 From Friday 7 February speed limits on all rural local roads nationally reduce from 80km/h to 60 km/h.

Laois County Council is currently changing the speed signs to 60km/h on all 80km/h local roads around the county. Many are already in place at quite a number of locations.

Cllr Paddy Bracken wanted to know what speed motorists should travel at, if they are not familiar with roads, that will have no speed signs on?

 Cllr Tommy Mulligan wanted to know what the new ‘discretion’ speed signs mean? “Does it mean you can drive in excess of the speed limit? It’s a very loose term. It’s nearly a licence to drive as you wish.” “Safety on our roads is our priority,” said cllr James Kelly. “But, we’re being asked to rubber stamp something we’ve had no input into. We have to make a decision with no statistics, no facts, no engineering or technical advice and no input from us, the councillors. Can we, at a later date, look at certain roads where we can make by-law changes to them?” 

 Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said: “I’m shocked that this is on 7 February before the locally democratically elected councillors haven’t had a chance to have their say on it. With these discretionary signs, are we saying that it’s alright to drive at 120km/h on a certain road? That this is the drivers discretionary and they think they’re able to manage it? It’s a licence to drive at whatever you feel you’re able to do.” 

Cllr Paddy Buggy said: “I’m not in agreement with these speed reductions. The reality is a handful of people with bad manners on the roads that’s causing the accidents. This seems to be a more revenue generating exercise than saving lives. I don’t believe there will be one life saved by reducing these speed limits. Because the people who abide the law, abide the law anyway. It’s only a handful of motorist who are out of control on drugs or on alcohol, who cause accidents. The speed reduction won’t save one life, but what it will mean is, that if you’re doing 63km/h someone in a van will photograph you, you’ll be fined and get penalty points. I don’t see the benefit of a blanket reduction.” 

 Cllr Barry Walsh said that there are different type roads across the county and a blanket speed reduction won’t work on each of them.

The council’s director of services Simon Walton said it is the function of the Government to set the default speed limits across the country’s roads.

He said when the reduced limits are introduced and councillors feel that there are issues with speed in certain areas they can make the charges through the by-laws process.

He said: “The idea of the rural speed limit signs (discretionary speed) is to not to post a number or speed target. It’s to advise people to proceed in accordance with the prevailing conditions.” 

 “It’ll be a disaster,” said cllr Paddy Bracken, “there’s nothing to indicate any speed. It’s just drive away. That’s it.” 

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said: We’re putting the cart before the horse. It’ll be a complete waste of money. The new signs will go up. Then if we implement a speed review, the new signs will have to come down and new ones go up.”