No reduced speed limits for residential areas across Kildare
Councillors' decision means 30 km/h limit won't be imposed
A comprehensive speed reduction cannot be imposed on housing estates across County Kildare until a second review of speed limits is undertaken.
A raft of proposed speed limit changes to roads across County Kildare have been rejected by local councillors.
A substantial majority of the politicians rejected the draft bye-laws drawn up as part of an overall review of speed limits on some of the 2,500 kilometres of roads within the county.
The review was in the making since 2015 when Kildare County Council was asked to undertake a review and work started in 2018.
It was also planned to introduce Jake’s Law (a 30 km/h limit) in some 545 estates that have been taken in charge by KCC.
The issue was raised again by some councillors at the Kildare County Council meeting.
They felt that the 30 Km/h limit should be imposed within the housing areas - separately from the overall review of speed limits.
KCC official Donal Hodgins said that after the councillors’ decision the matter was referred to the Department of Transport.
He said that the next step will be to undertake a review of this process - but he said it would not be wise to undertake this until a separate review of the guidelines governing the speed limits is undertaken at n national level.
Mr Hodgins said that the introduction of Jake's Law separately from the package of proposed speed limit changes is not feasible.
He also said that it will not be necessary to start from “a blank page” for the next review because the mapping and public commentary gathered can be used again.