DLR to review dropping speed limit in housing estates to 30km

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has agreed to review the possibility of dropping all speed limits in residential estates in the county to 30km per hour.

The motion was tabled by Fine Gael councillor Anna Grainger at this month’s council meeting after first being placed on the agenda in July 2020.

The motion was carried unanimously by councillors.

The motion asks the council “to prioritise, facilitate and implement a 30km/hour speed limit in residential estates county wide, taking into consideration that many estates and residential associations already requested this following its initial implementation in 2017.”

In February 2017, the local authority announced a four-phase process to review and implement changes to speed limits across the county.

However, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has only completed one phase of this plan to date.

Labour councillor for the Shankill-Killiney area Carrie Smyth welcomed the move, saying it was long overdue.

“The introduction of the 30km/h speed limit must be prioritised to ensure our residential and local roads are made safer for children to play and create a more attractive and safer local environment for vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists,” she said.

“This is huge concern for constituents and is continuously raised by residents, residents’ associations and local community groups who wish to see speed limits reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h.”

Grainger said she was “delighted” the motion passed and is hoping the reduction in the speed limit will ensure “safer roads for all users especially children.”

At the monthly meeting, the Road Safety Plan 2022-2030 was presented to councillors which outlined the council’s plan to improve road safety in the county.

It said in the report that it plans to “review and update the Speed Limit Byelaws with a view to introducing a 30kph speed limits in residential areas, towns and village and near schools.”

It says it will “extend the number of 30kmh speed limit zones in high-risk locations (urban city/town centres) for Vulnerable Road Users in line with best practice models.”

The plan also says that the council will “introduce various forms of traffic calming around the County, where deemed necessary, including junction improvements, speed ramp and chicanes, pedestrian improvement schemes, public realm enhancement schemes and street pedestrianisation.”

The council will also collaborate with An Garda Siochana “to identify suitable locations for speed detection and speed alert cameras.”