It's about time!

Irish and Proud

Audit of Speed Limits!

According to this, speed limits applied by local authorities to both National Primary and National Secondary Roads are to be reviewed. The Minister (Leo Varadkar) has highlighted inconsistencies in specific speed limits between various local authority areas. He cited some speed limits as being too high while others are too low - he wants more sensible limits to be applied. The audit is to be carried out by the Department of Transport, NRA and the various Local Authorities - the public will also be asked to get involved locally.

I for one hope that the 60kph limit on the N11 SB at Kilmacanogue bites the dust - I think an 80kph limit would be much more appropriate there. Some limits on the M50 free-flows are also ridiculously low - the 50kph limit on the M50 NB to M1 NB connector is a classic example - to obey that limit would be a very good way to create a pile-up without ever having to take the blame IMO (that's if you live to tell the tale)! Even most of the M1 SB to M50 SB free-flew should be 60kph rather than the current 50kph - that speed limit should only apply to the sharp left-hand curve upon joining the M50 proper.

Regards!

L1011

30km/h (originally advisory, black signs and now regulatory, red) on a number of curves on M50 junctions needs to be re-visited for much the same reasons as the M1 ones.

Despite the suggestion of raising limits, I can't see them moving to 130 or 140 for the lower traffic motorways despite these being standard limits elsewhere in Europe.

Irish and Proud

MYOB wrote: »

<snip>
Despite the suggestion of raising limits, I can't see them moving to 130 or 140 for the lower traffic motorways despite these being standard limits elsewhere in Europe.

When I was taking a motorway lesson from my driving instructor (couple of months after passing the test) she told me that the reason the limit on motorways are 120kph in Ireland is that @ 130kph or more, a car can't be controlled in the event of a tyre burst. I was on the M3 at the time when I suggested that many Irish motorways seemed well capable of taking 130kph at comfort. Indeed, I took my eye of the speedometer for a minute and ended up doing 130kph when I thought I was doing 120kph - of course I re-adjusted then.

Regards!

L1011

Irish and Proud wrote: »

When I was taking a motorway lesson from my driving instructor (couple of months after passing the test) she told me that the reason the limit on motorways are 120kph in Ireland is that @ 130kph or more, a car can't be controlled in the event of a tyre burst. I was on the M3 at the time when I suggested that many Irish motorways seemed well capable of taking 130kph at comfort. Indeed, I took my eye of the speedometer for a minute and ended up doing 130kph when I thought I was doing 120kph - of course I re-adjusted then.

Regards!

The reason they're at 120km/h is that it was the nearest rounding from 70mph, which is a figure the Brits pulled out of thin air in the 1960s (when most family cars could never reach that speed) to put a limit on motorways.

A car can't easily be controlled in the event of a driving-wheel tyre burst above about 70km/h. 10km/h at 120 makes no difference.

All that tale should tell you is to make sure your tyres are in decent nick!

Irish motorways have a design speed of 160km/h officially. There are a few places where I suspect this isn't true but these can have lower limits applied if need be.

Victor

Many councils have already done audits.

MYOB wrote: »

The reason they're at 120km/h is that it was the nearest rounding from 70mph, which is a figure the Brits pulled out of thin air in the 1960s (when most family cars could never reach that speed) to put a limit on motorways.

You might check your maths there 70mph = 112.6km/h.

Irish motorways have a design speed of 160km/h officially. There are a few places where I suspect this isn't true but these can have lower limits applied if need be.

The road is only one part of the whole system, which includes driver and car. Most drivers and cars aren't suited to 160km/h traffic. Come back to us when we have a competent motorway driving culture.

L1011

Victor wrote: »

You might check your maths there 70mph = 112.6km/h.

"nearest rounding that wouldn't have had the tabloids screaming" then. Its also a common motorway speed limit in Europe when 110km/h is not.

Its still just 70mph - a figure pulled out of thin air and which was critically dangerous to even attempt to do in a 1960s family saloon - converted.

Victor wrote: »

The road is only one part of the whole system, which includes driver and car. Most drivers and cars aren't suited to 160km/h traffic. Come back to us when we have a competent motorway driving culture.

Not enough traffic for this to be a problem on the open sections of the M6/7/8/9; northern reaches of M1/N1. I'm not expecting the Nass BP or the M50 SEM section to go to 130 or 140.

There's very, very few cars on the market that can't handle 140km/h for prolonged periods safely (except the Leaf, because it'd run out of battery).

Stark

Incidentally, the Brits are planning to increase the speed limit on a lot of their motorways to 80mph.

Amtmann

MYOB wrote: »

Irish motorways have a design speed of 160km/h officially. There are a few places where I suspect this isn't true but these can have lower limits applied if need be.

Did anyone here ever produce a source for that 160 figure?

highwaymaniac

MYOB wrote: »

Irish motorways have a design speed of 160km/h officially. There are a few places where I suspect this isn't true but these can have lower limits applied if need be.

No they don't, they have a maximum design speed of 120km/h. See NRA DMRB TD9/11. http://nrastandards.nra.ie/road-design-construction-standards/func-download/168/chk6230cbe4daeda3e054d9afffb77ea896/no_html1

Table 1/2: Maximum Design Speeds for
Mandatory Speed Limits

Speed Limit |Design Speed
km/h |km/h
30 |50B
50 |60B
60 |70B
80 |85
100 |100
120 |120

niloc1951

MYOB wrote: »

The reason they're at 120km/h is that it was the nearest rounding from 70mph, which is a figure the Brits pulled out of thin air in the 1960s (when most family cars could never reach that speed) to put a limit on motorways...............

My dads 1961 Anglia could easily do 70mph and often did more :eek::D:eek: and it was only the 1200cc DeLux not the 1500cc Super, aaaah the memories.

MYOB

MYOB wrote: »

The reason they're at 120km/h is that it was the nearest rounding from 70mph, which is a figure the Brits pulled out of thin air in the 1960s (when most family cars could never reach that speed) to put a limit on motorways.

.

When the first motorways were opened in the UK there was no limit, after a series of high speed crashes caused by inexperienced drivers, they set the 70mph limit. Reaching 70mph + wasn't a problem for many cars, it was controlling it that was the problem.

Family cars has more of a reliability issue, they frequently broke down as they were driven flat out for long distances and couldn't cope!

L1011

highwaymaniac wrote: »

No they don't, they have a maximum design speed of 120km/h. See NRA DMRB TD9/11. http://nrastandards.nra.ie/road-design-construction-standards/func-download/168/chk6230cbe4daeda3e054d9afffb77ea896/no_html1

Table 1/2: Maximum Design Speeds for
Mandatory Speed Limits

Speed Limit |Design Speed
km/h |km/h
30 |50B
50 |60B
60 |70B
80 |85
100 |100
120 |120

You're misinterpreting the document. Those are *names* for design speed standards. "50B km/h" isn't a speed.

When you compare the specs in that document to US DOT design standards, they match their 100mph specs.

mydiscworld

Also discussed here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056543137

mydiscworld

Incidentally, has a fixed timeline been set for this?

Or will it drag out for years? Great one for NRA who've not much else to be doing these days with really only minor road works planned, with the odd exception.

Victor

mydiscworld wrote: »

Incidentally, has a fixed timeline been set for this?

Or will it drag out for years?

As I said many councils have already done audits. This should not be done in a big bang approach, only to then be forgotten about into the future.