COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

QUESTION NO. 22

QUESTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy

To ask the Chief Executive Officer for an update on information received from the TII in relation to any recently introduced measures to reduce speeding and increase safety at M50 junctions including the ones leading to and from the N4, in light of data the TII has on accidents occurring on the M50 and at its junctions with the N4.

REPLY:

The TII data on accidents was sent to a journalist as a result of a FOI request.  The conclusions and statistics were calculated by the journalist and not the TII.

The M50 facilitates 1.5 billion vehicle kilometers per year.  This is the busiest road in the country.  The report talks about 1000 accidents between January and August this year.  At face value this seems a lot but in proportion to the total journeys made this, is likely to be one of the safest roads in the country.

The statistics do show that the junctions 9 Red Cow and Junction 7 Liffey Valley of the M50 have the highest number of accidents, amounting to 18% of the total accidents on the M50.  It further states that most accidents occur at peak traffic times - that is during the peak am and pm rush hour periods.

The main reasons for accidents is however still believed to be driver behaviour, with lane hopping, tailgating, and driver error being the main causes of accidents.

It is also true that the efforts to increase capacity at some of the junctions has led to clover leaf arrangements that are more complex for the driver to negotiate.

Variable speed signage and additional driver information warning signage has been introduced in the last 7 months in an effort to inform drivers of appropriate speeds at particular times and weather conditions.  

The TII are gathering information on the effects of these signs on accident statistics.  They do not want to release figures until they have a sufficient batch of representative data with which to draw firm conclusions.