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Road Traffic Legislation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 February 2014

Thursday, 6 February 2014

Questions (262)

Joe McHugh

Question:

262. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a variable speed limit will be introduced for a national road in an area surrounding a place such as a school; if so the procedures involved in such; if not, the amendments that would be required to introduce variable speed limits; if he will enforce same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6121/14]

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Written answers

Sections  4 – 8 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 established default speed limits for defined classes of roads, varying from 120 km/h on motorways to 80 km/h on local roads.  Other speed limits that may be applied include: 30 km/h; 50 km/h; and 100km/h.

Where it is considered necessary and appropriate, road authorities may vary the default speed limits in their own area of administration by the making of a Special Speed Limits Order. Section 9 of the 2004 Act sets out the range of special speed limits that may be set by such authorities through bye-laws.

Statutory responsibility for setting special speed limits is vested in the Elected Members of local authorities. To assist in setting these limits, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport issued Guidelines for the Application of Special Speed Limits to all local authorities in January 2011, and the onus is on local authorities to take them into account in relation to any special speed limits which they set.

The option is, therefore, available to local authorities to provide Special Speed Limits in the vicinity of schools, including periodic speed limits which can be designed to apply and operate when children are arriving at and leaving a school. Advice on the use of such signs and on the options for combining warning and speed limit signs onto a single backing board are outlined in Paragraphs 5.16.22 to 5.16.28 of the Traffic Signs Manual.

Enforcement of all speed limits is a matter for An Garda Síochána.

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