Speed limit set to be restored to 80kph on Carlow relief road
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THE speed limit on the eastern Carlow relief road is set to be restored to its original limit of 80kph, according to the county council’s senior roads engineer.
At the June meeting of Carlow Municipal District, senior roads engineer Orla Barrett told elected representatives about the council’s plans to restore the speed limit to 80kph as part of a wider discussion on speed limit reviews. The road is just over 1km in length and runs from the entrance to Deerpark Business Park until it joins up with the Hacketstown Road.
The speed limit had been reduced from 80kph to 60kph in the most recent phase of the rural speed limit review, which came into effect on 7 February 2025.
“We are happy that the road was designed with turning lanes etc and is suitable for an 80kph speed limit,” Ms Barrett said.
Cllr Fergal Browne said that the original reduction in the speed limit on the road was “ridiculous”, adding that many people had received “fairly devastating blows” in the last year in the form of penalty points and fines.
Cllr Fintan Phelan also asked why the municipal district could not decide on the speed limit change at the meeting and by-pass the non-statutory public consultation process.
“I think it is the view of all councillors here that it should go up from 60kph to 80kph. Councillor Browne’s point is a very valid one, so to try and speed up the process, can we commence that today?” he said.
Ms Barrett said that while she could begin the process at the meeting, there are guidelines set out by the department, such as giving the gardaí and the garda commissioner 30 days’ notice before it goes to public consultation. Ms Barrett said this would require her to bring councillors in during the August recess to agree on sending it to the consultation phase, when she is already planning on presenting that at the September meeting.
Cllr Browne queried whether in the interim any arrangements could be made between the gardaí and the council as “people getting three penalty points going to work could have a devastating impact on their lives”.
The proposal was agreed by councillors with a show of hands and will now be brought to the July meeting of the county council for further approval.
Ms Barrett explained that the roads division hopes to present draft guidelines and speed limits to council representatives in the first week of September following the public consultation, and these should take effect in November.
