Councillors blast ‘shocking’ lack of consultation as lower speed limits to be introduced

ELECTED representatives have hit out at the lack of consultation over speed limit reductions which are set to be introduced on a phased basis.

Bar a handful of exemptions in each municipal district, speed limits on all national secondary roads in Mayo will be reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h, while all local and rural roads will be reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h.

Cllr Paul Lawless, who is running in the upcoming general election, branded the lack of consultation with local representatives on the matter as ‘shocking’ at the monthly meeting of Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District.

The lowering of speed limits has been subject to lengthy debate at various fora in Mayo County Council over the past year. Councillors have also approved some Mayo roads to retain their speed limit after they were deemed to meet the required safety standards.

This came following the nationwide Speed Limit Review which was finalised by the government in 2023.

Cllr Lawless said he was ‘totally opposed’ to what he called ‘a blanket approach’ to speed limits, but said that parts of certain roads should have their speed limit reduced where appropriate.

“It’s shocking the level of dictation that’s happening here to us. We’re elected here by the people and we don’t have a say in relation to so many issues,” said the Aontú councillor.

The Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District has recorded by far the largest number of fatalities this year, with 12 people losing their lives in the area. A public consultation process on the closure of several junctions on the N17 - where six lives have been lost this year - is also due to commence.

Cllr Lawless said the reduction in speed limits was being rolled out because of a lack of enforcement and investment in safe road infrastructure.

Dual carriageway needed

Cllr Richard Finn (Independent) said ‘the only way’ to improve safety on the road was to install a dual carriageway along the N17.

The section of the road from Knock to Collooney, Co Sligo, is currently being examined for an upgrade.

“All we are doing, essentially, is being asked to pay lip service to road safety by closing a few turns here and there and along the line. Because of the lack of funding, we’re left with no option as councillors but to come along and do this,” said Cllr Finn.

Cllr Alma Gallagher (Fine Gael), who has called for an ‘evidence-based approach’ to road safety, said more public consultation was needed on speed limits.

“I don’t think the average person will realise what’s going on when it comes to the review of the speed limits. To have from Ballyhaunis to Tuam reduced down to such a speed limit [80 kilometres per hour], it doesn’t make sense. A lot of this, there is no common sense to it,” she said.

‘Carnage’

Cllr Damien Ryan (Fianna Fáil) said that ‘one-size-fits-all’ reductions in speed limits could cause ‘carnage’.

“You’ll have tailgating, and somebody is going to go and pass eight or nine cars together, and that’s where carnage is going to start, and we’re going to introduce a risk that we didn’t have before,” said Cllr Ryan.

Tom Gilligan, Mayo County Council’s Director of Services for Roads, defended the speed limit reductions, citing World Health Organisation statistics which found that a five percent reduction in average speeds could result in a 30 percent reduction in fatalities.

Mr Gilligan stressed that enforcement of existing speed limits was also ‘absolutely important’.

“I do remember the debate back in the chamber a couple of years ago when the debate was to reduce the N58 from Foxford to Ballyvary from 100 [km/h] down to 80 [km/h] and I was against it because it was the main connectivity road between Castlebar and Ballina. But I have to say, in hindsight, it was the right thing to do and I don’t think it has diminished, in a sense, people’s enjoyment of the route or anything like that,” he said.