EDITORIAL: Lower speed limits in Tipperary won't be the worst thing

Local politicians in south Longford have voiced their concerns over speeding with calls for increased signage and and other traffic calming measures to be implemented in high risk areas.

placeholder image — Local politicians in south Longford have voiced their concerns over speeding with calls for increased signage and and other traffic calming measures to be implemented in high risk areas.

The Department of Transport has confirmed the 20km/h lowering of speed limits will begin on a phased basis from February 7

As a driver who is currently living in a rural part of Tipperary, I rely on my car every day to get from A to B. I’m sure I’m not the only one who was surprised when the news came out in recent months, that there was a bill passed called ‘The Road Traffic Bill 2024’, which meant that soon we’ll see all speed limits on various roads in Ireland lowered.

When I first heard the news I was surprised as I didn’t think roads needed a lower limit, however after some research into other EU countries speed limit laws, I understand now why Ireland is bringing in this change. Even when I think about some of the bends we have on 80km/h roads here in Tipperary, I understand it even more.

I thought as a country who is part of the EU, we all shared the same speed limits. I’ve realised recently that it’s not the case and that some speed limits vary from country to country.

Many other European countries have already adopted lower speed limits on roads, which has obviously resulted in lower fatalities.

In recent years. For example cities like Paris, Copenhagen, Brussels and London reduced their speed limits in their urban areas to between 40km/h and 20km/h. This paved the way for other rural roads outside of urban areas to be lowered also and France did a similar thing to Ireland by lowering most roads (which we can compare to Irish national roads) to 80km/h limits in 2018. A study on this showed that due to the decision to lower speed limits to 80km/h, there was a reduction in fatalities by ten percent in France.

The new speed limits which will be rolled out on a phased basis around Ireland (reportedly starting in February 2025), call for speed limits on national roads to be lowered from 100km/h to 80mk/h, rural roads from 80km/h to 60km/h and roads in urban areas from 50km/h to 30km/h. I’m now starting to think that these changes aren’t a half bad idea after all.