Byrne rejects 'mad' plan to break up Garda Traffic Corps

PROPOSALS TO break up the Garda Traffic Corps have been described as “madcap” by Road Safety Authority (RSA) chairman Gay Byrne.

Speaking in advance of figures which are likely to show the annual road deaths toll falling to below 200 for the first time since records began in 1959, Mr Byrne said proposals for such Garda cuts could lead to a return of “bad behaviour” by road users.

As of yesterday morning 177 people had lost their lives on the State’s roads this year – 31 fewer than the corresponding date last year. If numbers remain below 212 for the entire year, it will be the sixth successive year of reductions in fatalities among road users.

The success will likely see Ireland move up from its current position as sixth highest in the EU for road safety, to possibly as high as second or third position, in line with the traditionally safe northern European drivers and close to top performing Sweden.

Many motorists in Sweden take their cars off the roads for the winter months and it is the only EU state to see actual numbers fall below 200.

Mr Byrne praised road users for a change in attitude. But he said enforcement was crucial and warned of complacency.

He said a recent comment from the Department of Justice that numbers in the Garda Traffic Corps could be further reduced was “a terrible indicator”.

The Irish Times revealed on December 7th that a Government review had proposed the Garda Traffic Corps would be broken up to free up personnel for other duties.

Some members of the traffic corps would be deployed to fill vacancies as a spike in Garda retirements and the public-sector recruitment moratorium continues to run down the overall strength of the force.

The justice section of the comprehensive review of public expenditure noted: “Such a move is likely to attract negative criticism from agencies with a vested interest in road safety.

“However, a measured reduction could be publicly justified with an appropriate communications strategy.”

Mr Byrne criticised the proposals: “It is mad cap – well it is madcap to me and the RSA.” He said the corps had already been reduced from its top strength of 1,200 gardaí to 900. “We had a lousy November and a bad December ,” he said. There would always be road crashes but influencing driver behaviour was a key component of road safety, Mr Byrne said.

While he cautioned against drawing conclusions from the figures before the end of the year, he said many of the main initiatives in road safety reform are now in place.

This includes major policy interventions such as those relating to drinking and driving, safety cameras, driver training, driver licensing reform, schools-based education, service delivery capability and quality, vehicle standards and public awareness and behavioural change, he said.

Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey said 300,000 fines were issued to motorists this year.

He said “smarter ways” of enforcing road safety were being developed, including intelligence-led campaigns and privatised speed cameras which give 6,000 hours of monitoring per month. The Garda Commissioner is committed to ensuring an effective roads policing service is provided, he said.