Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for Transport the speed limits that apply on motorways for lorries, buses and other large vehicles; and if it is policy to have speed limits on motorways indicating the speed limit for such large vehicles. [13265/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Since 20 January 2005 the default speed limit on a motorway is 120 km/h. In the Road Traffic (Ordinary Speed Limits — Certain Vehicles) Regulations 2005, SI 9 of 2005, I prescribed the maximum ordinary speed limit at which specified classes of vehicles can be driven on any public road except where a lower maximum road speed limit applies.

With effect from 20 January 2005 a speed limit of 80 km/h applies to a vehicle that accommodates more than eight passengers excluding the driver, such as buses, coaches and minibuses, a goods vehicle with a design gross weight exceeding 3,500 kgs and any vehicle towing a trailer, caravan or horse box. A maximum ordinary speed limit of 65 km/h applies to a double deck bus.

These maximum ordinary speed limits apply to those categories of vehicles on all classes of public road, including motorways, except where the speed limit on a particular road is lower than the 80 km/h or 65 km/h referred to. Vehicle related maximum speed limits, known in law as ordinary speed limits, have been a feature in road traffic legislation since 1961. It has always been the policy to only provide speed limit signs on public roads that indicate the maximum road speed limit. Separate speed limit signs for vehicle related ordinary speed limits are not provided on any class of public road.

Since 1961 the users of the classes of vehicles that are subject to ordinary speed limits are obliged to be aware of the speed limit that applies to the vehicle being driven. The public information on the www.gometric.ie website, live since January 2005, contains information on the current metric vehicle related speed limits.