Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 497: To ask the Minister for Transport if he intends to instruct local authorities on the need to engage in full audit of speed limits and road signage, etc., on non-national roads in order to improve road safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10290/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

New speed limit structures were introduced in January 2005 under the Road Traffic Act 2004. These included the application of a default speed limit of 80 km/h to rural non-national regional and local roads and a default of 50 km/h to all classes of roads, except motorways, in built-up areas.

The Road Traffic Act 2004 empowers county and city councils to make special speed limit by-laws for the purpose of applying a special speed limit in lieu of a default speed limit and empowered the Minister for Transport to issue guidelines for the application of special speed limits. I exercised this power in April 2005 and issued guidelines to road authorities.

The county and city councils may review the maximum speed limit that applies to each stretch of non-national road in their area, can determine that the limit be increased or decreased at any particular location and can facilitate that determination through the inclusion of an appropriate provision in by-laws.

The review and determination of what speed limit should apply at particular locations on non-national roads in lieu of a default speed limit are matters for the elected members of city and county councils and the Minister for Transport has no statutory power to issue instructions or directions in this regard. I am not satisfied that all local authorities have considered exercising their powers in this area and I recently wrote to every city and county manager in the country seeking a report on the matter.