Concerns 30km speed limit not planned for busy road
By Maurice Garvey
CONCERNS that a stretch of Kylemore Road with numerous schools are not included in proposals to reduce the speed limit from 50km to 30km, have been raised with Dublin City Council.
A number of main roads in Dublin South Central could be reduced to 30km, including Kylemore Road, Ballyfermot Road, Naas Road, Tyrconnell Road, Emmet Road, Davitt Road, Drimnagh Road and Walkinstown Avenue/Road.
Concerns that Kylemore Road is not included in the proposal to reduce the speed limit to 30km
The city council’s Road Safety section delivered a presentation on the ‘Loving 30 Campaign’ at the recent South Central area meeting, which seeks to reduce the speed of traffic throughout the whole of Dublin City.
The local authority sought approval from local councillors before the proposal goes out to public consultation.
Broadly speaking, councillors are in favour of the proposals, however concerns were raised that the 50km limit will remain on a stretch of Kylemore road, from the Assumption roundabout to Chapelizod bypass.
This part of the road, along with a number of other exemptions in the plans, remain at 50km because of it’s proximity to the Chapelizod Bypass.
However, Rosanna Camargo, an Executive Engineer with Dublin City Council, said they will review this aspect of the proposal.
Along with Kylemore College, there is also the Dominican schools at the roundabout – St Michael’s, St Raphael’s and St Gabriel’s.
Cllr Vincent Jackson (Ind) said normal school days means “organised chaos” at the junction and that the council will “have a job to do to shift people there”.
“I’m skeptical of draconian measures but as a Chair on five different schools, I can’t in wisdom vote against it. We don’t have a high level of fatalities compared to other areas.”
He called for the implementation of an “inbuild review” for the proposal to allow for changes if neccessary.
“I don’t want a cash-cow operation to catch people out,” said Cllr Jackson.
The presence of different speed limit signage on roads could be a “little bit confusing”, said Cllr Daithí De Róiste (FF).
“I think staggered speeds will confuse the hell out of a lot of people. You can’t decide to put 30km beside schools and not at Kylemore College,” he said.
Cllrs Hazel de Nortuin (PBP) and Sophie Nicoullaud (Ind), also raised concerns at the lack of a 50km limit near the Ballyfermot schools.
The proposal is due to go up on the council’s public consultation hub from March 29 to April 9.
Following this, Dublin City Council’s Road Safety will circulate the final map and report to councillors at the end of April, before it goes to Traffic and Transport SPC’s and a full council meeting in May for approval.
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