AA’s big drive to bring councils up to speed on signs

AA IRELAND has started naming and shaming local authority areas where the speed limits for certain roads are completely at odds with its standard.

The road safety organisation has so far identified 51 locations where a disparity exists and expects to find hundreds more in the coming months.

“We have been asking AA members to submit locations around the country where the speed limit is set badly,” said AA director of policy Conor Faughnan.

“Needless to say, there are plenty of examples. Some are debatable, some are obviously bonkers and some are downright dangerous. There are 80km/h signs on dirt tracks and brand new dual carriageways with 60km/h limits. Now that the new councils are elected nationwide we think it’s high time the issue was addressed properly.

“Bad speed limits are a blight up and down the country. A poorly set speed limit, whether too high or too low, is worse than useless. It brings the system into disrepute, catches ordinary people out and encourages us all to ignore the signs. The AA... will be pressing the relevant local authorities to fix them.”

AA Ireland is writing to newly elected county councils in a new effort to get them to solve the problem. It is also asking motorists to report locations via www.aaireland.ie/news

Where specific locations are reported by multiple sources, the AA will add them to a list which will be queried specifically with the relevant local authorities.

“There is roughly an even split between limits that are too high and limits that are too low,” said Mr Faughnan. “When a motorist gets penalty points at these locations it certainly feels like rough justice.”

The main types of ‘bad’ speed limits encountered by AA are:

nMinor rural roads with 80km/h signs. When a road is so minor that the local authority never legally sets a limit, the default limit of 80km/h applies.

nNewly built or refurbished main roads that carry limits that are too low. AA wants to see consistency.

nReclassified primary roads. A stretch of main road which reverted to regional road status when replaced by new motorway. In some cases these have had limits reduced from 100km/h down to 60km/h with little reason other than the change in classification.

nRandom changes. Following a continuous route the driver sees the limit change several times over a short stretch with no clue from the road as to why this should be.

nRoadworks limits. Drivers frequently report lazy speed limits at the scene of roadworks, where ‘60’ signs lie sloppily in the ditches, often well past the site and often left unattended.