New speed limits 'will see tractors overtaking cars'

The recent reduction of speed limits on local roads from 80km to 60km is confusing motorists and leading to tailbacks, according to Mayo councillors

The changes came into effect on February 7 last and were discussed three days later at Mayo Co Council's monthly meeting with Louisburgh-based Cllr Chris Maxwell noting that motorists were "totally confused", especially with the signage.

"Why in hell did they not just put 60km signs and not those five-stripe signs around the place? I know there was a media campaign to explain what they mean but wasn’t this a missed opportunity to just put 60km up and everyone could understand that? The five lines symbol is just crazy, whoever came up with it.” 

Cllr Sean Carey said an entire line of motorists was driving in tailback along the main Castlebar to Belmullet route at Bellacorrick as a result of the change. 

“I was talking to some people from Laois who were caught in it and they were so frustrated. About 15 cars were in the line with people thinking the regional road was down to 60km. Even a lot of the local roads brought down would have been capable of carrying the 80km. It may all prove counterproductive.” 

Cllr Brendan Mulroy said people don’t understand what roads are in or out in relation to the speed limit changes and asked: “Why wasn’t it all rolled out together? We have the urban and national roads speed rollouts yet, this will make it all worse. Even if the signs aren’t in place, according to the gardaí you can still be fined for speeding in these new speed limit areas.

“There are tailbacks right across the country. This will actually cause more fatalities." 

Cllr Annie May Reape pointed out that all regional roads still have an 80km speed limit, saying: “If you see a sign for 80 you do 80.”

Acknowledging the tailbacks, she said: “People get impatient but it’s just bad, dangerous driving.” 

Cllr Damian Ryan said he thought it was unconstitutional for the council to have been given a directive from the Government to implement the reduced speed limits, saying: “When prosecutions are challenged in future I think there will be a problem and I ask, is there legal advice to the council that this is constitutional and can it be stood over for any challenges. It was grossly unfair we were not given the opportunity to consider the local roads one by one based on statistics and all advice available.” 

Cllr Deirdre Lawless said she didn't think the reduced speed limits "would serve our county very well".

"I can see tractors overtaking cars on some of these roads. The changes don’t make sense, no analysis was carried out and we should be looking at it road by road and not in a general view, as it is not serving the people of our county at all.” 

Responding to members’ concerns, Director of Services Tom Gilligan said the instructions for the road sign design of five diagonal lines to indicate the new 60km zones had “come from the Department” and that “people will have to use their judgement to not go over 60km”.

"I agree it is not very informative. We were given the signs and in terms of advising the public, that is ongoing. Our remit is to put in the signs and introduce the by-laws. We did agree that five particular roads would not change.”

Expressing frustration with the changes, Cllr Gerry Coyle remarked: “I saw someone with a phone trying to scan the five lines on the sign the last day."

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne quipped: “There was a person called Minister (Jack) Chambers. I don’t know do you remember but all of this was his idea."

Cllr Damian Ryan added: “There will be tractors and bailers passing out cars when the silage season begins, just wait and see.”