Calls grow for increase in average speed cameras across Mayo
Static speed cameras have already been in place for some time on the N17 and N5
A County Councillor has issued a fresh appeal for the installation of more static speed cameras in Mayo in order to combat dangerous driving and speeding within the county.
The call was made at the recent monthly meeting of the Swinford-Claremorris Municipal District by Councillor Richard Finn.
At present, two static speed systems are in place in the county.
The first is the average speed system on the N5 as it bypasses Swinford. The system captures an image of a vehicle as it passes two distinct points. If it passes the two locations too quickly, it is deemed to be travelling over the 100 km/h limit.
The second is the fixed camera on the N17 between Claremorris and Knock, which detects if road users are exceeding the 100 km/h speed limit. This camera issued 11,476 Fixed Charge Notices over an 11-month period between May 30, 2025, and April 30, 2026, making it the second-highest tally nationally.
Both of these camera systems have been a roaring success and are the blueprint for increasing safety for commuters in the county said Cllr Finn.
“There have been over 11,000 detections since the new year until now,” he stated. “If anyone can tell me that a camera is not viable with that type of turnover, it’s beggar’s belief. There is a need for more speed cameras, and it has solved an issue on part of that road.”
“A small investment in cameras would save a lot of money otherwise, and would also recoup the cost of the cameras in a very, very short time.”
Cllr Michael Burke rowed in behind the positive impact of the cameras.
“I certainly feel that the roads have got safer in the last couple of months since the cameras went in, in both places, on the N5 and the N17.”
Cllr Neil Cruise called for the system on the N17 to be altered to make it an average speed camera, much like the one which monitors speeds across eleven junctions on the N5.
“I don't understand how the camera out here is a static camera and how it's not done like the one in Swinford,” Cllr Cruise said.
“Sadly, there were a lot of fatalities along that stretch. How that isn't a constant ‘monitoring speed from A to B’, like the one on the N5, I cannot understand how that isn't in place.
“I think it would possibly sort out a lot of the issues that we're talking about here, but, of course, you can't have them for ad infinitum.”