Breaffy could benefit from speed limit reduction plans
06/09/2023. Minister of State and Government Chief Whip Jack Chambers arriving for the first meeting of the Cabinet since the summer break. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie
It is hoped that the village of Breaffy will be one of the areas to benefit from speed limit cuts across the country.
Speed limits are to be reduced following concerns over the number of fatalities on Irish roads.
Minister of State Jack Chambers said that 80km/h speed limits on rural roads are “completely inappropriate”.
Default speed limits on these roads will be cut from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. In urban, residential and built-up areas, it is proposed to change the default limit from 50km/h to 30 km/h. On national secondary roads, speeds will be dropped from 100km/h to 80km/h. Speeds on motorways will remain at 120km/h.
Minister Chambers said that it will take Local Authorities a “significant amount of time” in 2024 to enforce the new speed limits.
The speed limit reviews, which have been conducted over a two-year period, will not go to Cabinet for another number of weeks.
The Breaffy community has been campaigning for years for the speed limit through the village to be reduced to 60km/h.
Local councillor Cyril Burke hopes the village will be included in the new speed limit plans.
"I would like to welcome the impact the decision the new speed limit reduction will.have on Breaffy village in particular. I have been campaigning for this for 20 years along with the community of Breaffy and all the stakeholders. We are still looking for a permanant reduction within the core village area and we hope Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) will see merit in it in the short term," said Cllr Burke.
The speed limit in the village has been a constant cause for concern following a number of serious road accidents and the proximity of a local national school to the busy stretch of road.
