COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, February 23, 2015

QUESTION NO. 22

QUESTION: Councillor G. O'Connell

"To request that the Chief Executive bring before this Committee a report for the March meeting on the signage restricting traffic on Kennelsfort Road showing how it complies with EU and Irish legislation and to include in the report the feasibility of installing a height restriction that would prevent vehicles, other than motor cars, coming from the West from turning right onto Kennelsfort Road Upper and a similar restriction preventing vehicles other than cars turning left onto the R148 from Kennelsfort Road Upper?"

REPLY:

Weight restriction signs are provided on roads in Ireland in accordance with: 

S.I. No. 181/1997 - Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1997.

S.I. No. 182/1997 - Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997

As amended by

S.I. No. 331/2012 - Road Traffic (Signs) (Amendment) Regulations 2012.

S.I. No. 332/2012 - Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2012.

Their use is also prescribed by ministerial directive on the use of the Traffic Signs Manual. 

The weight restriction signs provided by South Dublin County Council comply with these requirements.

Additionally the Traffic Signs Manual prescribes warning signs that can be used to alert traffic approaching a weight restriction. Such signs are provided on the Palmerstown
By-Pass. The signs are detailed in Chapter 6 section 6.14 of the manual.

Kennelsfort Road is a Local Primary Distributor Road linking the communities of Palmerstown, Cherry Orchard and Cloverhill and providing for the transport needs of those who live, work and do business there. A height restriction barrier placed on the public road network would impede the movement of emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles, school and public buses and maintenance vehicles and would constitute a hazard to road users. A height restriction barrier that would prevent vehicles other than motor cars is not recommended for these reasons.