Further cuts to Dublin speed limits proposed

Plans to expand the 30km/h speed limits to a further 31 areas of Dublin city do not go far enough, according to the chairman of the city’s transportation committee.

Council officials want to extend 30 km/h limits to 19 areas of the northside and 12 areas on the city’s southside, and introduce new speed limits that vary at different times of the day in special areas, such as the vicinity of schools.

It is the third tranche of speed limit reductions to be proposed by council officials since 2011.

If approved by the elected members the areas with reduced speed limits will include Inchicore and Kilmainham, Donnybrook, Harold’s Cross, Rathmines, Portobello, Ranelagh and Ballsbridge on the southside.

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On the northside suburbs affected will include Coolock, Artane, Killester, Clontarf, Cabra, North Wall, and Glasnevin, Finglas and Drumcondra.

However chairman of the council transportation committee Ciarán Cuffe said the new restrictions do not go far enough.

Mr Cuffe wants the council to also lower speed limits on arterial routes in and out of the city - the main routes carrying large volumes of traffic each day. Mr Cuffe said he will propose a reduction from 50km/h to 40km/h on the parts of these roads which are within the city’s canals at Thursday’s meeting of the transportation committee.

“This would improve safety on such streets where there are a large amount of deaths and injuries” said Mr Cuffe.

A report from the city’s Environment and Transportation Department circulated to members in advance of Thursday’s meeting said it was proposing speed reductions on only one arterial route.

The change will see the speed limit of 60km/h on a portion of the Howth Road changed from 60km/h to 50km/h. The portion affected if the move is approved is between the Brookwood Avenue / Sybil Hill junction and the junction with Ennafort Road / Cill Éanna.

Mr Cuffe said where speed limits had been reduced in the past, from for example 50km/h to 30km/h, drivers did reduce speed a bit - but not enough to comply with the new regime.

“In most cases average speeds have reduced” he said “however vehicles are often still above the 30km/h speed limit. I want to see An Garda Síochána put more resources towards speed limit enforcement on residential streets. More people are being killed in Dublin by speeding cars than gangland crime and we should ensure that more effort is made to tackle speeding” he said.

If agreed by the Transportation Committee the proposals will likely come before the full council at its meeting on June 14th.