Carlow's speed limits to drop to 60kms 

SPEED LIMITS on local roads throughout the county are to be reduced from 80kms to 60kms as part of a national introduction of a ‘default speed limit’.

However, while reducing speed on our roads was welcomed by members of Carlow County Council, several believe they “aren’t worth the paper they are written on without enforcement”.

Senior executive engineer Orla Barrett stated this change was part of a National Default Speed limit which is to be implemented nationwide this November. 

In the case of Co Carlow this involved replacing almost 400 signs on local roads.

“It is challenging, and we have to act quickly,” she said, adding that reducing speed in urban areas from 50kms to 30kms would be put in place nationwide next year.

Ms Barrett clarified that members did have the authority to introduce supplementary by-laws if they wished for any local roads to remain at 80kms, however guidelines indicated that 80km roads much have a five and half metres width from the centre of the road to be regarding as suitable for 80kms.

“Most of the local roads in Carlow are three and a half metres, so from a technical point of view we don’t recommend 80kms on any of our roads because they do not meet the criteria,” Ms Barrett stated.

Chief executive Coilín O’Reilly concurred with that assessment and stressing  that “no roads in the county meet those criteria”.

Cllr Paul Doogue agreed with the reduction, stating that any effort to reduce speed on our roads was positive, while adding that he “never agreed with the speed limit being the size that it is”.

Cllr Michael Doran stated that speed and safety on our roads was “the biggest issues on the doorsteps” during the recent Local Elections. Cllr Tommy Kinsella suggested that urban speed limits should also be extended, pointing out Fenagh and Tinnahinch as villages where the speed limit need to be extended.

Cllr John Cassin pointed out that reducing speed wasn’t the only action needed, highlighting actions like repairing road surfaces and ditches that urgently needed to be cut back.

Cllr Adrienne Wallace remarked that enforcement is the issue adding that there was a “culture in this country of driving badly and driving too fast”. She also called for more speed vans on our roads.

Cllr John Pender agreed that road safety was a big issue with members of the public but added that this new legislation was “not worth the paper it is written on, without enforcement”.

“There is a serious lack of enforcement,” he argued, pointing to problem areas in the Tullow  Municipal District including the Shillelagh Road, Tullow Road and the village of Grange, where motorists are consistently breaking the speed limit. He added that the “gardaí needed to be brought into this”.

“Bar you are going to have enforcement how are you going to implement this? It is very desirable but without enforcement I’m afraid to say it’s not worth the paper it is written on,” said cllr Pender.

Cllr Will Paton agreed with cllr Pender, adding that this was “punishing many, for the sins of a few”.

“The speed merchants are laughing their heads off because they know they have little or no chance of being caught,” he said.

Cllr Paton stated that a wider approached needed to be taken to the issue of making our roads safer including drink driving, drug driving, tired driving, inexperienced driving, pedestrians out walking at night without hi-vis.

“The speed merchants are not going to change their behaviour if they know this will not be enforced, I really think this falls on the issue of enforcement,” said cllr Paton.

Cllr Willie Quinn agreed that enforcement was “a major issue” pointing out that currently there was four garda traffic core members to “cover the whole of Co Carlow”.

Cllr Quinn pointed to a situation in Borris last week where he observed a car at 97kms in a 50zone who “didn’t slow down when he met the sign…that didn’t stop him” 

“Last year on the Bagenalstown to Borris Road at Ballinree Bridge, which is a big height, I saw a car pass another car at the top of the bridge when he had no view whatsoever…..without resourcing this, we are at nothing,” concluded cllr Quinn.

Cllr Ben Ward referred to the major issues on the N80, which he lives near, adding that personal responsibility is a factor in terms of people speeding. 

He called for more speed vans at locations like Ballon and Grange where the speed limit is consistently not being adhered to.

Cllr Andrea Dalton remarked that the 60kms speed limit “is a limit not a target” adding that there were many local roads in the county where it was not safe to rive at 60kms.

“It is down to enforcement,” he agreed.

Cllr Daniel Pender remarked that while most people were law-abiding about 10% of motorists don’t abide by the rules and have the worst impact.

Cllr Brian O’Donoghue also called for more personal responsibility to make reducing speed a national conversation. He urged every mother to talk to their sons, fathers talk to their daughters, family members to each other and urge them all “for God sake, slow down”.

Cllr Andy Gladney agreed that while the intention of this legislation was good, he agreed with other speakers that enforcement is key.

Ms Barrett confirmed that a number of road safety vehicles and speed vans were part of the overall plan. 

She confirmed that national secondary roads, which the N80 and N81 in the county are, would also drop from 100kms 80kms in 2025 with the guidelines stating that it was not safe to travel in excess of 100kms unless there is not a central barrier on the road, as is the case on motorways.