Tipperary's councillors were divided on Monday over national legislation which will reduce speed limits across the nation's road network - with the majority of elected representatives rejecting the decision and arguing that lowering speed limits is unjustified and will compound traffic problems.
Tipperary was in the national headlines during the year following two multiple fatality traffic accidents in the south of the county and the decision by government to lower the speed limits on almost all roads bar the motorway network is aimed at improving safety and saving lives.
However, a notice of motion tabled by Clonmel based Independent, Niall Dennehy, gained the support of the majority of Councillors at their October monthly meeting on Monday and saw them call for other County Councils to follow their lead and reject the national legislation.
The move will not prevent the implementation of the first phase of the changes which is due to begin next month, but local elected representatives will have some say in how the subsequent phases come into force.
Up until now decisions on speed limits on rural roads and towns were solely under the remit of local authorities and councillors expressed anger that they have no say in the new changes which will have consequences acutely felt by their rural constituents.
Traditionally speed limit reviews are carried out by a local authority every five years, however, in Tipperary the process is long overdue and councillors argued that the decreases in towns and rural roads are too extreme.
The national legislation is the Road Traffic Bill 2024, which was signed into law by the President after being introduced by the Minister for Transport in April.
The bill will see speed limits on national secondary roads cut from 100km/h to 80km/h, from 80km/h to 60km/h on rural or local roads, and from 50km/h to 30km/h on roads in built-up or urban areas.
Dublin West TD Jack Chambers, then serving as junior minister at the Department of Transport, said “we have witnessed a very disturbing upward trend in road deaths in the last few years, which is continuing into this year; this new legislation seeks to bring systemic improvements to road safety including reductions in speed limits, reform of penalty points, and mandatory drug testing at the scene of serious collisions.”
“This is a key part of this Government’s strategy to reverse the trend of rising fatalities and help make our roads safer for all users,” he said announcing the changes
Independent Lower Ormond Councillor, Michael O'Meara, pointed out at the meeting that the new system hinges entirely on enforcement by the Gardaí and the meeting heard that new road signs are due to arrive in the coming days to alert motorists of the changes.
The cost or erecting the new signage and implementing the changes may irk motorists in Tipperary, Cllr. Maureen McGrath said - especially when they are forced to use a dilapidated road network which would better benefit from spending the money on road conditions, she said.
Cllr John Crosse told the meeting that "hitting young drivers in the pocket" would be more effective. "They have money for drink and drugs and hitting them in the pocket will slow them down - people who are mature are ok, they won't ever cause an accident" he said.
Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Declan Burgess, took issue with this and said he was "totally opposed" to Cllr. Cross' remarks and that the generalisation that all young drivers are dangerous is inaccurate.
James Murray, Senior Engineer for Tipperary Council, told the meeting it is not yet clear what portions of urban towns will see a reduction of speed limits to 30kph and that the local authority will perform a full and detailed speed limit review after the first phase of the changes is implemented next month.
By-laws will be subject to significant changes to work with the new national legislation and Mr. Murray said that speed limits are "guidance and not a target" and that driving to suit the road and weather conditions are a driver's responsibility.
Liam Brett, Director of Services and Roads and Transportation for the Council, told the meeting the delivery of new signs and poles is imminent and that the local authority is waiting for confirmation about financial support from the government to cover the ancillary costs.
CEO of Tipperary County Council, Sinead Carr, said she is cognisant of the tensions over national and local governance and the changes in by-laws but that the role of national government is to set out and adopt legislation for the entire country.
Regional authorities and local authorities work as the operational subsidiary arm of national government and their role is to abide by that legislation and "stay within the four walls of that legislation", the CEO said.
There is "some bandwidth" within that legislation for local government to make some changes, she added, but national government has decided the first phase of the changes are mandatory and will be rolled out next month.
"Your role in Phase Two will be to identify which roads should operate at what speed and you will have to be informed by the guidelines provided by the Department and there will be mandatory elements with that", the CEO told the members.
"I have my own concerns in relation to it, but I also know that a number of councillors who have spoken to me since the election, the first issue they raised with me is speeding on our roads.
"I'm not sure if it is going to work, but I also know that if it is not working it will be the role of members to inform national government that we have serious concerns about this," Ms. Carr said after the Council passed Cllr. Dennehy's motion.
