Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 February 2004
428 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider reducing the setting of speed limits for all trucks over seven and a half tonnes in order to improve road safety; and if he has satisfied himself that there is sufficient measures in place to prevent the illegal tampering with speed limits. [3008/04]
View answerThe speed at which a speed limiter device is to be set in a vehicle is laid down in Directive 92/6/EEC. Under this directive goods vehicles with a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes are required to be fitted with a speed limiter so that the speed of the vehicle may not exceed 90 kilometres per hour. Directive 2002/85/EC extends the requirement to have a speed limiter fitted to include goods vehicles with a maximum mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
From 1 January 2005 all new goods vehicles with a maximum mass over 3.5 tonnes will require to have a functioning speed limiter with the device set so that the speed of the vehicle may not exceed 90 kilometres per hour. Such vehicles registered before January 2005 will require to have a functioning speed limiter by 1 January 2007. The roadworthiness test for vehicles requiring speed limiters includes a check to establish that such a device is fitted and is operating correctly. Current speed limit regulations provide that 50 miles per hour is the maximum speed limit for goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
