A BLANKET ban on reducing the speed limits on West Cork’s three main routes would be devastating for the region, leading to increased fuel costs, driver frustration and longer journey times, a public meeting heard last week.
Despite the fact that it was Valentine’s night, almost 200 people and several public representatives attended the meeting in the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway last Friday night about the proposed speed limit reductions for national secondary roads, and possibly regional roads.
Several attendees expressed their frustration and confusion about the possible speed reductions on both national secondary roads like the N71 and regional roads like the R585 and R586, from 100km/h to 80km/h. There were also calls for better enforcement of the existing speed limits.
It also became apparent that the roads network across West Cork requires urgent financial funding in order to make the roads safer.
Confusion was also expressed about whether Cork County Council has a say in changing speed reductions or if Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has full authority on this.
While speakers accepted that the reductions of speeds from 80km/h to 60km/h on local roads (roads with an ‘L’ prefix) is welcome, they expressed huge concerns about the next tranche of speed reductions being proposed, which they said will add extra time to journeys from rural parts of West Cork and will see speeds limits reduced on national secondary roads and possibly regional roads.
Cork South West Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins called for clarity and said there cannot be a ‘blanket ban’ in West Cork for the three main routes in West Cork – the R586, R585 and the N71.
‘This needs to go back to the local authority as the road engineers there are the best people who know what is happening on the ground. The planned speed reductions will lead to more driver frustration and an increase in road traffic collisions,’ said Deputy Collins.
Newly-appointed Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan said any planned speed reductions will be dependent on the success of the first phase of speed reductions on L roads.
‘My feeling is that we won’t see a reduction on the national secondary roads and that the N71 will remain at 100km/h but I can’t say with the same degree of confidence for the regional roads,’ said Minister O’Sullivan.
