Call for changes to ‘ridiculous’ rural speed limits in Clare

“TOTALLY ridiculous” speed limits on rural roads have been strongly condemned by members of the Killaloe district, after a recent road incident recently in Mountshannon.

Tabling a motion at the final district meeting of 2022, Councillor Pat Burke said people unfamiliar with rural roads needed to be alerted to the fact that the 80kmph speed limit is not appropriate. The Fine Gael member called for a review of all speed limits on local and minor roads and said the current 80kmph signs should be removed because of the confusion they are causing. 

“All of us are familiar with 80kmph signs on local roads and boreens,” he said. “Heading down a boreen at 80km per hour, for the ordinary Joe Soap, that has never made sense at all. In some places on national roads, when you’re leaving to go down a local road, the sign is different and this is an indication to drive slower.”

Senior Executive Engineer Derek Troy explained that where speed limit changes on local tertiary roads, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has, in recent years, been using a rural speed limit sign “This has diagonal black lines to indicate that speed of 80kmph isn’t appropriate,” Mr Troy explained.

Councillor Burke insisted that the current situation does not make sense.”It was brought to my attention on a road close to Mountshannon where a car left the road,” he said. “We need to remove the 80kmph signs from regional roads and replace them.”

Councillor Joe Cooney agreed. “It is totally ridiculous to have 80kmph limits on these roads,” he said. “We all know what kind of speed is appropriate, but a stranger coming in could be caught out.” The Bodyke man asked if there was any update on when the next review of speed limits might happen.

Councillor Pat Hayes said he was fully supportive of the motion and that he agreed with all of Councillor Burke’s remarks. “Our previous discussion on speed limits generated huge debate,” he noted.

Councillor Burke thanked Mr Troy for a written response to the motion which said that a review of speed limits would take place and that his request would be considered as part of that process. 

Responding to Councillor Cooney, Mr Troy said there was no clarity yet on when the review would take place. 

Councillor Burke asked how successful the existing appeals system on speed limits had been to-date.

Mr Troy pointed out that the appeals system was a new one and that he did not believe there had been any changes to-date to speed limits. He noted that some appeals have been submitted in respect of existing speed limits in East Clare, for example, those currently in place in the village of Clooney.