Speed ramps 'the only thing' to slow speeding traffic in Tipperary housing estates

The perception among the public is that speed ramps are the answer to slowing down traffic, the Mayor of Clonmel has stated.

Cllr Richie Molloy made his remarks at a meeting of Clonmel Borough District, when he requested the installation of ramps in the Heywood Road and Ard Gaoithe areas.

He said there were a lot of young children in those estates, and motorists didn’t pay any heed to speed limit signs in housing estates.

Cllr Pat English said that permission had been previously given in the roadworks programme for the installation of ramps, but now there seemed to be a change of policy, and that wasn’t right.

If something was agreed then it should be done.

Cllr Siobhán Ambrose agreed that ramps were the only thing that slowed traffic in housing estates. There didn’t seem to be a problem with their installation in other areas around the country.

She said that delivery vehicles and some residents were responsible for speeding in estates.

Cllr Michael Murphy highlighted the lack of controlled pedestrian crossings on the N24 road, particularly between the Moangarriff and Cahir Road roundabouts.

He suggested that a pedestrian footbridge should be provided on the road halfway between the Fethard Road and Cashel Road Roundabouts.

“You are literally at times taking your life into your hands trying to cross that road,” he stated.

Cllr Murphy said that the very narrow road near Powerstown church and school needed to have its speed limit reduced.
He said that according to the National Roads Authority (NRA), Tipperary County Council could amend speed limits without waiting for the speed limit review process.

Council engineer James Murray said there was a policy against the installation of speed ramps.

The consequences of installing speed ramps in isolation couldn’t be stood over from a technical point of view, and they weren’t recommended without a design context.

Instead the council wanted to strengthen pedestrian crossings with raised crossing points, which would reduce speed and create low speed areas with a suite of measures.

As well as reducing speed, these would also support pedestrian movement.

Speed ramps also posed a problem for some emergency services vehicles, said Mr Murray.

He said that at present the council’s speed limits were fully compliant with the current guidelines.

However there would be significant changes in terms of speed limits on local roads throughout the country, and they should resist making individual changes until then.

Mr Murray suggested that they gather requests, such as Cllr Murphy’s for the reduction of the speed limit on the road in Powerstown, and have them ready for consideration.