More enforcement needed to drive down speed says Ahern

Labour TD Ciáran Ahern said that the government needs to address rising road offences.

The Labour transport spokesperson said, “we know speeding and mobile phone use are real challenges on our roads which are leading to road deaths, accidents and dangerous driving.”

“Seeing Gardaí on the roads goes a long way to motorists slowing down and heeding the rules of the road. Unfortunately, we know that there are almost 400 Gardaí fewer on the roads than there were in 2009. If we are serious about seeing the trends going in the right direction, then the government must commit to strong recruitment and retention policies across An Garda Síochana,” the Dublin South-West TD said.

“Ireland is now one of the few European countries where road deaths are increasing, despite an official target to halve fatalities by 2030. The government’s own Road Safety Strategy is not being delivered. The Crowe Report on road policing was clear about the need for stronger enforcement, yet action has stalled.”

Ahern said that Labour were calling for immediate action, including a “significant increase in roads policing and enforcement.”

The party are also calling for full implementation of modern detection technologies like speed cameras and traffic light cameras, national oversight of known collision black spots, and the “urgent reform” of the Road Safety Authority.

Ahern said that reform of the RSA would translate to it having the “powers and accountability to actually make our roads safer.”

Commuters, families and road users deserve a system that protects them. The government must act now,” he said.