Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
430 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Transport if he will consider reviewing the locations of 30 miles per hour speed limits in towns and villages in conjunction with the national changeover from miles per hour to kilometres per hour. [8413/04]
View answerThe Road Traffic Acts provide that a built-up area speed limit of 30 mph applies to every public road, except a motorway, in an urban area. The Acts also provide that, where they deem it appropriate, the members of a local authority may replace that default speed limit with an alternative speed limit in respect of any road in such areas. Such decisions are made in consultation with the Garda and with the consent of the National Roads Authority in respect of speed limits on national roads including motorways.
I intend to introduce legislative proposals to the Oireachtas shortly to support new speed limit structures, based on the report of a working group that carried out a review of the current speed limit system against the background of the metrication of speed limits by the end of this year. I envisage that this legislation will provide for the retention of the role of the local authority members in determining the speed limits to be applied at particular locations. The legislation will also provide that the range of speed limits that may be deployed will continue to be determined on a national basis.
