COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, January 09, 2017
HEADED ITEM NO.12a)
HEADED ITEM: C. Performance and Change Management Directorate
SPEED LIMIT BYE-LAWS
REPLY:
County Council Meeting 9th January 2017
H – I (12) Speed Limit Bye-Laws
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport issued the Guidelines for Setting and Managing Speed Limits in Ireland in March 2015 (hereafter referred to as the “Guidelines”). SDCC is progressing this review in accordance with these Guidelines.
The Road Traffic Act of 2004 (Section 9) sets out the current legislative basis for the setting of speed limits. The setting of special speed limits is a function of the Elected Members of the Council. The current speed limits were last reviewed and updated in 2009.
In accordance with the Guidelines, SDCC recently concluded its Public Consultation on the proposed Road Traffic (Speed Limit) Bye-Laws 2016.
The results of the Public Consultation were presented to the Area Committees as follows:
Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure 13th December 2016
Clondalkin 14th December 2016
Tallaght 19th December 2016
Lucan 4th January 2017
The Elected Members considered the submissions and following is a summary of the outcomes:
Rathfarnham/Templeogue-Terenure
The draft Speed Limit Bye-laws were considered by the Area Committee and the following amendment was recommended:
That the existing speed limit of 50km/h on St James’s Road/Limekiln Avenue be retained.
This is recommended.
Clondalkin
The draft Speed Limit Bye-laws were considered by the Area Committee – no amendments were recommended.
Tallaght
The draft Speed Limit Bye-laws were considered by the Area Committee and the following amendment was recommended:
To have a 60km/h limit on the N81 from Avonmore Road to the junction of the N81 and the Outer Ring Road.
A meeting in relation to this was held with Transport Infrastructure Ireland on 22nd December. The Senior Engineer notified the Members of the result of this meeting by email on 22 December – TII would not accept a reduction from 80km/h to 60 km/h as it would not be in accordance with the Guidelines.
Given the discussion with TII it is recommended that the existing limit of 80km/h be retained on the N81 from Avonmore Road to the Outer Ring Road.
Lucan
The draft Speed Limit Bye-laws were considered by the Area Committee and the following amendments were recommended:
- That the limit on the access road to/from Griffeen Road to Tullyhall Estate be reduced to 30km/h.
This is recommended.
- That the existing limit of 50km/hr on the R136 from the N4 to the Griffeen Avenue junction to be retained.
This is recommended.
- That the limit on Main Street, Lucan be reduced to 30 km/h (from the square to the roundabout at the bridge to Chapel Hill).
This is not recommended.
While there is some merit in having a 30km/h limit from the square to the roundabout at the bridge it is not considered appropriate to have a 30km/h limit up to Chapel Hill.
- That the limit in Palmerstown Village (north of the R148) be reduced to 30 km/h.
This is not recommended.
In accordance with the Guidelines it is not considered a “housing estate” type road. It is a wide road with a cycle lane and a limit of 30km/h is not considered appropriate.
There was a discussion on TII’s proposals for the N4. Following the discussion and explanation of TII’s reasoning the proposals were accepted. i.e. the existing limit of 60km/h on the eastbound lane at Liffey Valley is to be re-located to the start of the M50 interchange.
Next Stage
The process will continue as follows:
The Garda Commissioner will be consulted.
Formal approval will be sought from TII for changes to the limits on the National routes.
The final Draft Bye-Law documents will be prepared and it is hoped to have these ready for formal adoption at the February County Council meeting.