Mixed views as new speed limits come into force on local roads

Approximately 2400km of local roads in Cavan will be reduced to 60km per hour from this Friday (February 7). That amounts to around 80% of Cavan’s road network. It reflects a legislative change in default speed limits for rural local roads, which will drop from 80km/h.

The current rural speed limits on the National Roads (mostly 100km/h) and Regional Roads (80km/hr) will remain the same “for now”, according to a spokesperson from Cavan County Council.

According to the County Cavan Road Safety Action Plan 2017-2020, there are 67km of National Primary Road and 62km of National Secondary Road in County Cavan. Meanwhile there is 399km of Regional Road in the county.

Meanwhile urban speed limits and rural national secondary road speed limits are set be reviewed “later” this year.

Future implementation phases will focus on the speed limit in urban cores, which include built up areas as well as housing estates and town centres, reducing to 30km/h, according to the ‘Slower Speeds, Safer Roads’ road safety campaign published by The Department of Transport on January 30.

There was mixed reaction when The Anglo-Celt took to the town just before the weekend to ask what people thought of the changes. Last Friday afternoon Cavan’s Lakeland Retail Park was bustling with people, some availing of washing and drying machines, still without power after Storm Éowyn, others stocking up on supplies for the weekend.

One woman, who was waiting while her washing spun, gave her opinion on the incoming changes on local rural roads. She agreed with the reduction in speed limits.

“The roads aren’t maybe safe enough to drive at that speed,” she said.

“The condition of them [local rural roads] is poor, in some cases, it’s not safe to drive at 80.”

Across the way, Andy was heading into the shop when The Anglo-Celt stopped to chat. He thinks the changes are “ridiculous”.

“Particularly on roads that people are capable of driving at 80km/h on.

“I understand that people die from speeding but we had the same with drunken driving many years ago and, while there was enforcement, it did reduce the number of deaths but it didn’t [completely] stop the deaths from drunken driving and I don’t think this is going to stop deaths from speeding either.”

He added that people “still will speed” regardless of the change in limit.

“It could end up just making a lot of money for the people who enforce the penalty points system.”

He believes “people will be caught out” when they are on “a nice road with a straight stretch”.

Darren Sharkey thinks that a speed limit of 60km/h would be “better” than 80km/h.

Living on a rural road himself, he says that “the roads are narrow” and, in the Kilinkere area where he lives, he said that roads are “an absolute disgrace” with potholes.

“I pay tax and insurance, there’s three vehicles in my house,” he outlined, adding that he is changing parts regularly “because of the potholes”.

“We’re paying our taxes but we’re not getting anything back.

“You couldn’t even go 60km/h on it and we’ve rang the council about it several times and nothing has ever been done about it.”

He believes the new speed limit will be “safer” for people who are out walking with children and dogs.

Another woman feels that changing limit is a “great idea.”

“The cars are absolutely flying it’s ridiculous, even through 50 zones,” she said, adding that she has seen this happen in villages, which she thinks is “terrible.” She thinks the current speed of 50km/h in urban areas is “alright” and thinks the possibility of 30km/h would make it “hard” to keep the car “down” at this speed.

Living on a rural road herself, she said people “are absolutely flying” in their vehicles.

“It’s terrible,” she added.

Wendy Maher also lives on a rural road and has witnessed that people “do take chances” within the current speed limit and feels that the reduction is a “good idea”.

Mary Smyth lives on a local rural road too and thinks the reduced speed limit is “outrageous”.

“It doesn’t make sense because 80 kilometres is a pretty slow speed and 60 is nearly a stop.”

On Friday afternoon, Mary had been without power, water, and heat for one week. Living on her own with a heart condition, she felt that the situation was “pathetic” and believes government priorities are “not in the right place”.

Living on a “busy” rural road, she said some motorists “don’t abide by the regulations that are there” adding that driver behaviour is more of an issue than speed limits.

“They’re [motorists] in another world.”

“They’re not concentrating really,” she said, mentioning especially male “young people” in this instance.

“They think that they can’t make mistakes.”