Further consideration of speed limit reductions in Mayo

SOME councillors in Mayo are pushing back against the 60kph speed limit coming into force on local roads in February.

The wider picture of road safety - enforcement, driver behaviour and infrastructure improvement - needs to be looked at too, they say.

“A one fits all scenario will not solve the issues,” Councillor Damian Ryan asserted at the full monthly meeting of the county council, a view that received widespread support.

Councillors were being asked to adopt bylaws that would see five routes in the county remain at 80kph. Reject that and those roads would join all the others that are dropping down to 60.

However, the majority supported a proposal that this be deferred until January for further consideration and to seek clarity on where members stood with regardless litigation on the matter if they reject. Also requested was that a senior department official would be asked to meet and hear their concerns, and that a county-wide speed review would get started.

There was also some members who supported the adoption of the bylaws before them, with speeding around towns and villages an issue brought up with councillors on the canvass.

Ultimately it went to a vote, with 15 councillors in favour of deferring until January. Six voted against this.

In a lengthy debate, Councillor Ryan said limits should be based on technical advice and statistics. For example, one of the failing criteria was if a road had 11 access points - it didn't matter if it was the width of the runway at Knock airport.

A default 60kph would see car piling up behind one another, introducing a risk where someone will pass a number of cars.

Councillor Gerry Coyle said there should be a review of all the trees overhanging on roads before they started talking about speed reductions.

It was suggested by Councillor Michael Loftus that they write to other councils about their concerns, so they could all bring them to the department.

Some roads probably do need to reduce down to 60kph, but not them all, noted Councillor Johnny O'Malley. Better use should be made of speed vans, he said, by placing them in the right places, and not just using them to make money.

Councillor Harry Barrett was one of a number of members who spoke in support of the speed reductions, saying people are being 'terrorised' by speeding.

Mayo, he pointed out, has suffered more than most in lives lost on the road.

Caution in rejecting what was before them was urged by Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, who said this is just one part of trying to reduce accidents.

Saying she saw both sides of the argument, Councillor Donna Sheridan said saving lives is the most important thing.

The meeting was told there is still time for further consideration, with the February 7 implementation date nationally, and the vote saw the matter adjourned until January.