Calm Down... Council adopts policy to prioritise roads most in need of safety measures.

Meath County Council has adopted a new traffic calming policy, which will prioritise the roads most in need of safety measures.

At its November meeting, councillors adopted the new policy which is aimed at improving road safety across the county through a range of targeted measures.

The process of prioritising locations will be transparent with a scoring matrix based on clearly set out criteria.

Cllr Mike Bray, chair of Meath County Council’s Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) on Transportation, welcomed the adoption of the policy.

“It is very welcome and is a step forward to improving safety in our towns and villages.

“Speeding and dangerous driving are the issues most frequently raised by communities with me as a councillor. As chair of the SPC, I was delighted to bring this policy forward and to see it passed unopposed by my fellow councillors.

“This new policy creates a formal process for councillors and local communities to request an assessment for traffic calming measures in their area. In the past, such requests were dealt with on an ad hoc basis — this new approach brings Meath in line with other counties.”

Cllr Noel French welcomed the policy. “I am 12 years a councillor and speeding is the number one complaint I receive and I am so glad that a policy has now been developed.

“Speed is not the sole responsibility of council and I have raised it with the gardai at joint policing committees.”

Cllr French said he had one major reservation with the policy - the criteria on speed would allow 15 per cent of the traffic travel above the speed limits without being considered.

“There are just a small percentage of motorists who are irresponsible and travel above the speed limits and they are those that are causing the trouble. I hate ramps but they are a necessary evil to keep people safe.”

Cllr Eddie Fennessy said he was delighted there was now a definitive criteria. He said the policy was not clear on funding and asked if it would be ringfenced.

Cllr Ronan Moore asked how would funding be allocated to each Municipal District.

Maria White said the policy will reassure people there will be fairness and transparency.

“I am happy to see that there will be review after a period of time. I think the highest level of resources should go to the highest level of need”

Cllr Joe Bonner welcomed the policy. He said Meath County Council had installed traffic calming measures at Curraha village and Oberstown Cross.

“The work was carried out by council staff. It has been so successful, there haven't been accidents there since. There had been numerous crashes at both locations prior to that.”

Cllr David Gilroy said the policy won't apply to national secondary road, where there are many problems. Transport Infrastructure Ireland are responsible for the national roads and there was a perceived inconsistency in its approach to roads.

Director of Services, Martin Murray said there would be provision in the upcoming budget in respect of the policy. Councillors were told the 85 percentile for speeding was a standard metric which the council would be sticking to, but it is only one criteria to be measured.

Each Municipal District would receive the same financial allocation, but this will be reviewed with a view to centralising some funding for a case where an area has a number of very dangerous locations.