Road speed limits in the Republic of Ireland

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Road speed limits in the Republic of Ireland apply on all public roads in the country. These are signposted and legislated for in kilometres per hour. Speed limits are demarcated by regulatory road signs (see Road signs in the Republic of Ireland). These consist of white circular signs with a red outline. Speed limits are marked in black with "km/h" below the speed limit. Smaller "repeater" speed limit signs are used along stretches of road where there is no change in speed limit, in order to remind motorists currently on the road and to inform traffic merging from junctions that a certain speed limit applies.

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[edit] History

Speed limits in the Republic of Ireland were introduced with the Road Traffic Act 1933 [1] when an ordinary speed limit of 25 mph was applied for light motor vehicles or heavy motor vehicles fitted with pneumatic tyres. Lower speed limits were applied for heavy motor vehicles without some pneumatic tyres, or used for pulling another vehicle. Road signage was established by the Traffic Signs Regulations, 1956 [2].

However, the main piece of legislation responsible for the introduction of speed limits in Ireland was Part IV of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 [3]. This repealed the 1933 Act and allowed the Minister for the Environment to prescribe a general speed limit through regulations made under this Act. It also allowed local authorities to specify special speed limits through regulations made under this Act. The first regulations made were the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Regulations, 1963 [4] which set down a speed limit of 50 mph for all roads except those subject to a built up area speed limit of 30 mph or special speed limit of 40 mph. Throughout the mid to late 1960's local authorities studied roads in their areas and had regulations drafted specifically for their county which prescribed speed limits of 30 and 40 mph along specifically named roads in their administrative area.

On April 1st 1969 the Minister for the Environment through the Road Traffic (General Speed Limit) Regulations, 1969 [5] finally prescribed a general national speed limit of 60 mph on all roads except those subject to special and built up area speed limits of 40 and 30 mph. This replaced the 50 mph speed limit in all but a few cases where regulations had been drafted specifically to impose a 50 mph limit. While the built up area and special speed limits were clearly indicated to motorists by the number 30, 40 or 50 in black font on a white circular background with a red outline, there was no such signage for the general 60 mph speed limit. This was indicated to motorists by a "general speed limit" applies sign which consisted of a circular white sign with a black diagonal line bisecting it.

It was not until 1992 that a 70 mph speed limit was authorised on the State's motorways. This occurred through the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (County of Kildare) (Amendment) Regulations, 1992 [6] and the similar Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (County Borough of Dublin and County of Dublin) (Amendment) Regulations, 1992 [7]. This authorised traffic on the M1, M7, M11 and M50 to travel at 70 mph where signposted. A minimum speed limit of 30 mph had previously been set in 1974 through the Local Government (Roads and Motorways) Act, 1974 [8].

[edit] Standard Speed Limits

Different default speed limits apply to particular categories of roads. There are also speed restrictions for certain classes of vehicles. As of 2006, the standard speed limits are as follows:

  • 120 km/h (75 mph) for motorways.
  • 100 km/h (62.5mph) for National Routes (Primary and Secondary) that are not motorway status.
  • 80 km/h (50 mph) for other roads.
  • 50 km/h in built up areas.

The approach roads to 50 km/h areas are often designated with a 60 km/h speed limit regarless of the standard of road. All regional roads (except part of R132 in County Louth) and county roads have default speed limits of 80 km/h. The slowest possible speed limit is 30 km/h but this is subject to guidelines and must be approved by local councillors following public consultation (See below).

[edit] Special Speed Limits

There are particular powers available to local county councils under the Road Traffic Act 2004 [9] to apply special speed limits to particular stretches of road (usually lower speed limits for schools, etc). One instance of higher speed limits being applied is that of the new N2 route from the M50 motorway in Fingal (Dublin) to north of Ashbourne, County Meath where a special speed limit of 120 km/h is to be imposed from the 15th of June 2006, therefore becoming the first non motorway road in Ireland to obtain this speed limit. According to the project engineers, the National Roads Authority decided due to the lack of available space at the M50 junction to accommodate a parallel joining non-motorway route that they would designate the new road as high quality dual carriageway and block off the existing road from the M50. The 2004 Act has therefore allowed Local Authorities to get around such issues as the implications of motorway restrictions on learner drivers as under this act such drivers are now permitted to travel at speeds up to 120 km/h on such roads as this section of the N2.

The drawbacks of this provision is that some roads which operate at motorway speed limits may be regarded as lacking the prestige of motorway status which could possibly affect any drive to attract economic development to the area. There are also potential safety issues of allowing drivers which have not passed their driving test to travel at speeds of 120 km/h. Another controversial issue is that by-passed roads which had formed part of the national primary road network such as the old N1 (R132), old N2 (R135) and N4 (R148) are downgraded to regional status (without change in engineering specification) and accordingly have their speed limit reduced to 80 km/h. In these cases this standardised approach can result in inappropriately low speed limits considering the standard of carriageway involved and the fact that the road is now by-passed has removed nearly all of the usual traffic volume. In defence of this position it can be said that the road is being by-passed because it is dangerous and a further speed limit reduction will make it safer. Louth County Council felt this argument did not apply in the case of the R132 and has made use of these provisions to reinstate a 100km/h speed limit on a section of this road bypassed by the M1 motorway. This road was previously part of the N1 National Primary Route, and its bypass resulted in its being designated a Regional Road. These routes have the lower 80 km/h speed limit by default.

[edit] Likely Future Developments

As the state is currently undergoing a massive road building programme which includes the construction of a national motorway network, it is likely that the provisions of this act will be increasingly called on in future, as many sections of the proposed "motorway network" such as the N6 from Kinnegad to Kilbeggan are only being built to high quality dual carriageway standard, though as they are being purpose-built it is highly likely that special speed limit bye-laws will be introduced on these carriageways allowing for speed limits of 120 km/h.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Road Traffic Act 1933 - Irish Statute Book
  2. ^ Traffic Signs Regulations, 1956 - Irish Statute Book
  3. ^ Road Traffic Act, 1961 - Irish Statute Book
  4. ^ Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Regulations, 1963
  5. ^ Road Traffic (General Speed Limit) Regulations, 1969
  6. ^ Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (County of Kildare) (Amendment) Regulations, 1992 - Irish Statute Book
  7. ^ Road Traffic (Speed Limits) (County Borough of Dublin and County of Dublin) (Amendment) Regulations, 1992 - Irish Statute Book
  8. ^ Local Government (Roads and Motorways) Act, 1974
  9. ^ (PDF) Road Traffic Act 2004 - Oireachtas Éireann

[edit] See also

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