Local residents will have input into new traffic calming policy

A proposal for Mayo County Council to develop its own traffic calming policy has been supported by members of the council's Roads and Sustainable Travel Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).

At the May meeting of the SPC, Director of Services David Mellett explained that the reason for proposing such a policy is due to the increase in requests being received by the council for traffic calming measures, particularly around schools and residential areas.

Noting that the terms of the policy are not entirely at the discretion of the local authority, given that it must be guided by government regulations and various road traffic laws, he outlined that the draft policy being drawn up will involve a suite of engineering measures, nine in total, designed to improve driver behaviour and enhance safety and is primarily concerned with speed management and risk reduction. He added that the absence of a uniform traffic calming approach is leading to a variety of different measures and approaches being implemented across the four municipal districts in Mayo in a bid to assuage public safety concerns and the fact there is no single countywide framework means that expectations don’t always align with what people want.

Telling the forum that both Limerick and Meath county councils have adopted traffic calming policies, Mr Mellett said: "In terms of housing estates, what happens in Limerick is there needs to be two-thirds of residents in favour of calming measures taking place before the council even looks at it from an engineering point of view. This means one person can’t be dictating what happens, and I would like to flesh that out in regard to Mayo.”

He added: “We propose to set up an internal working group with representatives from the four municipal districts, and the Road Design and Active Travel sections in the council, to look at current practices in Mayo, refer to national standards and then put together a draft plan and bring it back to the SPC for consideration."

The proposal was welcomed by SPC members with Cllr Jarlath Munnelly proposing that the council proceed with the plan but also that a programme of works be attached to it, saying: “Once and for all we might establish what design standards apply in the building of ramps as they are in all shapes and forms around the county.”

Cllr Patsy O Brien commented: “Speed and traffic are the biggest issues we hear about as councillors and it is the gardaí that is left to look after it and driver behaviour.” 

Cllr Richard Finn said the only solution in the long term is speed cameras which would pay for themselves in six months or a year. 

“There is no excuse once you are caught on them. We cannot have a garda standing on every corner.” 

Forum member Christy Hyland added: “We must face up to the fact we are one of the highest counties for fatal accidents on our roads.” 

Welcoming the proposal, SPC Cathaoirleach Cllr Annie May Reape said it was "a good idea also to get local residents involved". 

Cllr Damien Ryan backed Cllr Munnelly’s proposal to add a programme of works to the policy and also requested An Garda Síochána be invited to the next SPC meeting to discuss traffic calming as well as e-scooters, which “are a blight on our footpaths and should not be allowed". This was agreed.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.