Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 June 2023
6. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Transport the status of the review of the framework for setting of speed limits, with specific consideration of the introduction of a 30 km/h default speed limit in urban areas to improve road safety and take-up of active travel, as outlined in the RSA Action Plan 2021–2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30186/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I understand it, a review of the framework for setting speed limits is under way. I ask about the specific consideration of introducing a 30 km/h default speed limit in urban areas. This would improve road safety, the uptake of active travel and reduce road deaths. It also has an emissions impact. It is one of the measures outlined in the RSA Action Plan 2021-2024. Where do we stand with that?
As part of action 6 of the Government’s road safety strategy, a review is under way to examine the framework for setting speed limits, including specific consideration of the introduction of a 30 km/h default speed limit in urban areas. The group was established in late 2021 and comprised representatives of the Department of Transport, NTA, TII, local authorities, the RSA and An Garda Síochána. The review group, as part of its work, carried out an assessment of the existing framework of speed limits, including the current guidance document for the setting and managing of speed limits in Ireland. The group also looked at best practice internationally as well as carrying out a modelling analysis of potential options. This review is now nearing completion and I intend to publish the completed review in the near future, with an implementation plan thereafter. This will be prepared to progress the recommendations of the review.
As a priority, the guidelines for managing speed limits in Ireland will be updated. Although the review is driven by road safety, it is also guided by requirements in relation to climate change and active travel.
The Road Traffic Act of 2004, as amended, sets out the current legislative basis for the setting of speed limits. The Act applies default speed limits to different classes or categories of road and allows for local authorities to intervene and set special speed limits, within limitations, on roads in their area. The making of by-laws to set special speed limits is a reserved function of the elected members of a local authority. In Ireland, urban speed limits are set through a combination of default speed limits that apply to built-up areas which are all cities and former town councils and by special speed limits for other urban areas as defined in the guidelines for managing speed limits in Ireland. Currently, the default speed limit for built-up areas is 50 km/h. While I obviously cannot announce the outcome of the review until it concludes, I appreciate that the Deputy has raised the issue today.
This is an extremely important issue. As I said, there are three elements involved, namely, road safety, climate implications and the implications for active travel. I do not know whether the Minister of State took physics for the leaving certificate but I apologise if I am giving him a flashback. The equation that governs kinetic energy is E = mv². It is the v² in particular that is the kicker on this one. It refers to velocity squared. We know the figures on road deaths. If a road user, such as a pedestrian or my 11-year-old child, is struck by a car travelling at 30 km/h, in one in ten cases, the person struck at that speed will die. If that same car is travelling at 50 km/h, five in ten people who are struck at that speed will die. If the car is travelling at 60 km/h - despite our default speed limits, it is not uncommon to see cars travelling in our urban environments at such speeds - nine in ten people struck at that speed will die. There is a real public safety element here that we have to face up to and address.
I agree. That has been one of the main issues identified by the Road Safety Authority in the context of the worrying trend whereby we have seen road fatalities increase in three of the last four years. Unfortunately, that trend has continued into 2023. As of 20 June, there have been 83 fatalities on Irish roads, an increase of eight compared with the same day last year. These include 20 pedestrians, 36 drivers, 13 passengers, two e-scooter drivers, ten motorcyclists, one cyclist and one pillion passenger. We need to take action. The Deputy is correct that speed is a central factor in many of these cases. The four main causes of deaths are speeding, distracted driving, not wearing a seat belt and intoxicated driving, all of which come down to personal responsibility on the part of the driver. That is why we established the review as part of Vision Zero and in the context of our overall road safety action plan. We are keen to progress the outcomes of that in the coming period.
Before I continue, I will praise the great work that Mairéad Forsythe of the Love 30 campaign has done in bringing focus to this issue. This has been done elsewhere. Belfast and Edinburgh have both made a decision to reduce speed limits from 30 mph to 20 mph, which would be the equivalent of 30 km/h in "old money", as they say. Both cities have seen major positive effects. There has been a 23% drop in the number of fatal collisions, a 33% drop in serious casualties and a 37% drop in minor casualties. This reduction has a real impact.
What happens when someone in an urban environment comes into contact with large metal boxes travelling at speed? The lower the speed, the safer that person is. It has a huge impact on active travel as well. Unless he is into cycling Twitter, the Minister of State will not have come across the term “must get in front” or MGIF. It refers to the driver. Even though cyclists will get past the next traffic light quicker than drivers will, drivers still believe they have to pass out cyclists out each time. This creates a very aggressive environment for active travel, cyclists in particular. It is a matter that can be addressed.
I accept the mathematical formula put forward by the Deputy. I am interested in statistics to show the number of impacts at more than 30 km/h where people are complying with the speed limit of 50 km/h. I ask this because most people brake before an impact. We must be realistic about this. Are there statistics to show whether there is flagrant or increased disobedience with regard to speed limits when they are set too low? If they are set at levels people consider to be reasonable, depending on the road type, is it more likely there will be greater compliance? Finally, of the fatalities or serious accidents in urban areas, how many were caused by people who were exceeding the existing speed limit? In other words, I refer to cases where the problem was not the speed limit but the exceeding of it.
On Deputy Ó Cuív's point, significant data have been compiled by the Road Safety Authority on many of the fatalities and the trends across fatalities. Speed and excess speed are key factors in urban areas in cases where pedestrians or cyclists have lost their lives. The wider review of speed limits is also examining the huge inconsistency between speed limits, as well as excessive speed limits, on certain rural roads. If people travelled at these speeds on our roads, they would be completely unsafe. The review, which will be published shortly, will provide much greater consistency with regard to overall speed limits and the guidance for local authorities on the setting of speed limits. I can ask the Road Safety Authority to send on the specific data and information on this. It is very clear that speed is a central factor and it has those specific data.
