Ireland’s Department of Transport has confirmed the publication of an updated Traffic Signs Manual, which will effectively copper-fasten the proposed changes to speed limits across the country.
Speed limits to be cut on urban and rural roads
Those speed limit changes, which formed part of a 2023 report issued in the face of increasing road deaths, will see many 80km/h limits reduced to 60km/h, and 30km/h limits introduced for urban areas and town centres. Indeed, the report suggested that the default rural road speed limit should be cut from 80km/h to 60km/h. The report confirms that main roads, arterial roads and motorways will see no reductions in speed limits.
Variable speed limits supported
Or will they? One aspect mentioned in the new Traffic Signs Manual is that the update will “Support the future roll-out of new variable speed limits on designated national roads.” For the moment, the only roads in the country with variable speed limits are Dublin’s M50 motorway (the gantry signs of which annoyingly aren’t compatible with the traffic sign recognition cameras of most cars), the Dublin Port Tunnel and the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork.
The implication from the latest Traffic Sign Manual update is that variable limits are certainly being considered for other roads across the country.
Lane control and zebra crossings
The update also lays out the standards for electronic speed and lane control signs, which could allow for more precise control of certain roads under certain conditions. Equally, there are other changes, not related to speed limits, including the confirmation of a proposal to allow zebra pedestrian crossings to be installed with simpler signs, rather than flashing beacons, which should allow for more crossings to be more quickly provided.
That said, reducing speeds across the country is clearly the most significant intent of these updates. According to the Department of Transport: “Reducing speed has been fundamentally proven to significantly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in road collisions. The World Health Organisation has estimated that a five per cent reduction in average speed could result in a 30 per cent reduction in fatal collisions. Furthermore, the evidence shows that 50 per cent of pedestrians struck by a vehicle travelling at 60km/h will be killed, compared to 29 per cent of pedestrians struck by a vehicle travelling at 50km/h and five per cent of pedestrians struck by a vehicle travelling at 30km/h.”