Drive slow, Drive safe, says the Dublin City Council by implementing 30 kmph speed limit across the city

Dublin City Council plans to press ahead with making 30km/h the “default speed limit” across the city and suburbs despite public opposition to the move.

The Dublin City council is currently planning to set a default speed limit of 30 kmph across the city. Despite of the public opinion, the council decides to move forward with the new change.

Results of a public consultation process, which will be presented to city councillors next week, show more than half of those who made submissions on the proposed traffic bylaws opposed the cut in speed limits.

Most of the public doesn’t agree with new cut in speed limit. The result of a public consultation process also proves that the decision of the council is not up to the mark, because of the disagreement from the public.

Several motorists complained that the new speed limit won’t bring any good, instead it might cause frustration and stress among drivers. If the speed limit is 30kmph, then the journey time will increase, which will be another problem that these drivers have to overcome.

But the council believes that the concerns of the drivers are least important when compared to the safety of the pedestrians.  

Previously the city council were having the plans to pull down the speed limits to 30kmph on all residential areas, but now they revoked the bylaw and extend the new default speed limits to all major approach roads to the city.

The new speed limit will be applicable on the Royal and Grand Canals and the Rathmines, Ranelagh, Harold’s Cross and Donnybrook Roads on the southside of the city and Phibsborough Road, Dorset Street, Manor Street and Gardiner Street on the northside.  Previously the drivers were allowed to speed at 50 and 80 kmph through these roads.

Other major approach roads, like the N3 and N1 will retain the older speed limit, but as the drivers approaches the city they are forced to shift to a lower gear and attain a maximum speed of 30 kmph. A speed of 80km/h has only been permitted on a section of the Chapelizod bypass and the entry to the M1 motorway.

The new speed limit was opposed by 56% out of the 2000 submissions and the rest 44 support the new speed because they believe it would provide a much safer environment for children, pedestrians, etc.

The 56% believes that the new rule could only help in increasing the time of the travel and the lower speed will damage the vehicle. It could also create frustration amongst the drivers because a normal cyclist can travel even quicker than a car.

The council said that the worries of drivers had to be well-adjusted against the benefits of the change.

“The overriding principle that must inform any decision to change a default speed limit should be road safety, in particular, the reduction of fatal and serious road collisions.” Said the council.

An examination of international experience and the existing 30km/h limited areas in the city “recorded only positive outcomes in terms of this road safety objective”. the council said.