Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2004
395 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Transport if the metrification process of speed limit signs will commence on 1 January 2005; if he will outline the new speed limits which will apply and the circumstances in which a lower than 30 mph maximum speed limit can be enforced. [23268/04]
View answerMy predecessor announced last month that it is intended that metric speed limits be in place on 20 January 2005. A metrication changeover board is working to that timeframe. In order to facilitate the changeover it is necessary to amend the Road Traffic Acts to provide for the introduction of new speed limit structures expressed in metric values. To that end I intend to progress the passage of the Road Traffic Bill 2004, published on 11 June last, through the Houses of the Oireachtas shortly. The Bill contains proposals to provide for the application of the following default speed limits on public roads: motorway, 120 kph; national roads, 100 kph; non-national roads, 80 kph; and built-up area, 50 kph.
In addition, it is proposed that the range of road speed limits should also contain special speed limits in the values of 120, 100, 80, 60, 50 and 30 kph. It is proposed that these special speed limits could be applied in lieu of a default speed limit by local authorities through the making of special speed limit by-laws or, in the case of special speed limits of 100, 80, 60 or 50 kph, by a county or city manager through the making of a road works speed limit order.
In the case of the special speed limit of 30 kph, the legislative proposal in the Road Traffic Bill provides that this limit only be applied by local authorities in accordance with guidelines to be issued by me. These special speed limit application guidelines will set out the criteria that local authorities must have regard to in the introduction of the special low speed limit in residential areas, including a requirement that appropriate traffic calming measures are in place.
Following the enactment of the proposed new primary legislation, I will advance secondary legislation to prescribe ordinary speed limits, that is, vehicle-related speed limits, in metric values.
