Council will not recommend speed limit increase

MEATH County Council will not be recommending that the speed limit on the Trim-Dublin Road be increased from 80kph to 100kph as part of a review of speed limits that is currently under way in Meath.

Infrastructure SEO Martin Rodgers said the council would be "vehemently opposed" to an increase. There were issues such as design and the junctions on the road, he said, adding that it was national policy that the road stay at 80kph.

Colr Phil Cantwell argued that it didn't make sense to have the road at 80kph and it should be upgraded to 100kph. The road had been 100kph before they did it up, and now that it was a first class regional road the limit was 80kph.

Colr William Carey said that, at an infrastructure SPC meeting, Eugene Cummins,

Director of Roads and Transport, had made it clear that increasing the speed limit on the road went against national policy and that they were "beating their heads against a brick wall".

Colr Jimmy Fegan said he had spoken about it recently to Mr Cummins, who told him he could not recommend the increase for safety reasons and that the road had not been constructed with a 100kph speed limit in mind. He added there were issues with junction sightlines, passing cyclists and also difficulties regarding design. Colr Fegan said he was behind the protests to have it increased but was prepared to withdraw it if safety was an issue.

Colr Cantwell said he was only asking for the limit to be restored to what it was before. He was fearful it was being left at 80kph in order to get people to use the motorway.

Meanwhile, speed limits outside schools throughout County Meath are to be reduced to 50kph as part of the review of speed limits in the county.

Safety concerns have been raised about a number of schools in Meath where speed limits of 80kph and 100kph were in existence and the speed limit review currently under way means that schools throughout the county will have 50kph limits.

Proposed changes are currently being brought before councillors and, once passed by full council, draft by-laws changing the speed limits will be drawn up and put on public display, at which stage members of the public can make submissions.

At the Trim Area meeting, councillors heard that a speed limit of 50kph would be in place outside Baconstown School and it was proposed that the reduced limit be extended to take in the shop as well.

Changes or extensions to the speed limits are also proposed at Ballinabrackey, Ballivor, Boardsmill NS, Castlejordan, Coole NS, Coolronan NS, Kildalkey, Killyon NS, Killtale, Grange, Longwood, Rathmolyon and Kill NS, Summerhill and Dangan NS.  Some housing estate roads are to be incorporated into the 50kph speed limit in Ballivor, Enfield, Kildalkey, Kilmessan, Longwood and Trim.