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Dublin City councillors will next month consider proposals
to reduce - or eliminate - the area governed by the 30km/h
speed limit introduced less than a month ago.
Bylaws to introduce the new speed restrictions were approved
by an overwhelming majority of councillors last October, following
a public consultation process during which no objections were
received. However, their introduction on January 31st resulted
in criticism from motoring lobby group, the AA, several city
councillors and national politicians and some radio broadcasters.
The council's traffic department has told councillors that,
although the new speed restrictions had attracted "much media
coverage", they had not increased traffic congestion in the
city centre and were an internationally accepted safety measure.
It also reminded councillors that any change to the speed
limit will require new bylaws, a process that takes a minimum
of six months.
The councillors, who are members of the council's traffic
committee, agreed to put a motion forward to the full council
meeting next month to restore the 50km/h limit on parts of
the quays, Kildare Street and Winetavern Street.
The council will also consider a motion put forward by Councillor
Bill Tormey to restore the higher limit to all parts of the
city which were changed to 30km/h last month.
The speed limit of most of the shopping and central business
areas of the city was reduced to 30km/h in 2006. However,
the council was unable to reduce the speed on O'Connell Street,
the quays and from D'Olier Street to Christ Church because
they were national primary roads governed by the National
Roads Authority.
The council subsequently obtained NRA sanction to change
the status of these routes and introduced the new bylaws.
Source - The Irish Times
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