John Gormley
Question:204 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the guidelines regarding the provision of all types of zebra and pelican crossings and other traffic calming measures. [3837/01]
Written Answers. - Traffic Regulations.
The Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 1997 and 1998 prescribe regulatory traffic signs. These include upright signs, road markings, traffic lights and other devices such as pelican and zebra crossings.
The traffic signs manual published by the Department in 1996 provides information on traffic signs and road markings generally, including information and warning signs. A copy of the manual is in the Oireachtas Library. The manual provides a comprehensive guide to the provision of road signage in Ireland, including information in relation to sign design, formats, dimensions and positioning. The use of the manual is intended over time to lead to greater uniformity of practice and to the creation of a more consistent approach to signing generally.
The provision and maintenance of traffic signs is primarily the responsibility of individual local road authorities, in consultation with the Garda Síochána in the case of regulatory signs. The National Roads Authority – NRA – has assumed direct responsibility for the provision of directional signage and delineation on national roads. In addition, NRA published guidelines on traffic calming for towns and villages on national routes in 1999.
John Gormley
Question:205 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the latest update with regard to the National Roads Authority design manual for public roads referred to in his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 262 of 30 May 2000. [3838/01]
The National Roads Authority's new Road Geometry Handbook and Design Manual for Roads and Bridges will be circulated to local authorities in the coming month and will be made available in the Oireachtas Library. These publications supersede the 1986 geometric design guidelines from An Foras Forbartha.