Green light for new speed limits but changes but are 'useful as a chocolate teapot' without enforcement - French

Meath County Council has approved draft by-laws which will see special speed limits introduced for built up and urban areas next year as part of a nationwide review though one councillor commented that they were about as "useful as a chocolate teapot" without enforcement.

Cllr Noel French said that with deaths on our roads rising, we need to look at enforcing the speed limits that are already there rather than introducing new ones.

He highlighted how some schools would have 30 kph speed limits while others would stay at 50kph and again expressed disappointment that there was no reduction for the villages of Rathmolyon and Summerhill.

The by-laws were approved by councillors at the October meeting of Meath County Council and are due to come into effect on 31st March next year.

Director of Services Martin Murray outlined that what was being presented to councillors was phase two of a four-phase national programme, adding that if there were areas of concern that needed addressing afterwards, they could look at introducing their own by-laws to deal with that.

The first phase of the review of speed limits saw the speed limit reduced to 60kph for local rural roads, while the third phase will look at regional roads.

- Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme