Periodic speed limits in Louth a possibility councillors told

Periodic speed limits outside schools in Louth might be a possibility, councillors were told at the Dundalk Municipal District February meeting, held at Faughart Community National School last Tuesday.

Cllr Antóin Watters raised the matter of periodic speed limits in relation to Bush Post Primary School, telling the meeting that he had met Senior Engineer, Mark Johnston, at the school the previous week to discuss safety measures outside the school.

Cllr Watters said that he spoke to Mr Johnston about what is happening in Wicklow, where Wicklow County Council are introducing a periodic speed limit of 30kph outside all 110 schools, and put forward that it should be introduced in Louth also, but would require the support of all councillors to make it happen.

The Dundalk-Carlingford councillor proposed inviting representatives from Wicklow County Council to a municipal district meeting, to learn more about what it, adding that in Louth there are a similar number of schools and that a periodic speed limit in the morning and evenings may be of benefit.

Responding to Cllr Watters, Senior Engineer Paddy Connolly told the meeting, that an overall speed review was taking place at the minute in the county, and urged all councillors to make submissions in relation to it when they had the opportunity.

Mr Connolly was responding to both Cllr Watters and an earlier query from Cllr Edel Corrigan in relation to speeding on the road at Faughart National School.

Mr Connolly added that he had been speaking to Mark Johnston in relation to it already and said that there was a possibility that they could look into periodic speed limits.

Speaking to the Dundalk Democrat following the meeting, Cllr Watters said that, "following on from the road safety meeting with the Bush [Post Primary School], I had Mark Johnson out last Monday meeting the Principal, and we observed the traffic at the school. We were discussing what we would do to plan for the future.

"It was mentioned that Wicklow County Council have enforced a periodic speed limit, under the speed limit review, for 30kph outside the schools. I made the proposal that maybe we invite officials from Wicklow County Council to speak to our MD (municipal district) in relation to it, because we need full support from the members.

"I think that would be an issue we could look at, to try see if that would help. I've been a big advocate for speed outside schools and trying to reduce it. It's something that we really need to look at going forward, so this could be a good way of doing it. But again, it will all come down to the enforcement."

The Sinn Féin councillor said that "I think we should look and follow the model of Wicklow and see if we can incorporate it into our speed limit review", and added that he would look to get officials from Wicklow County Council to meet with the Dundalk Municipal District councillors in relation to it.