ACTION REQUIRED: Dublin City Council Special Speed Limit Bye-Laws Review 2019

DEADLINE 22ND SEPTEMBER - Please copy submission or send in your own version for your local area.

1.0 Introduction

Love 30 is a national organisation that campaigns for the introduction of more lower speed limit zones (30km/h) in urban areas, but particularly in town centres, in residential areas, and near schools and other places of public assembly. The Campaign consists of cycling campaigners, walking groups, supporters of children’s right to walk and play, and others who recognise the benefits of lower speed limits.

Love 30 commends Dublin City Council for its proposal to extend 30 km/h speed limits to all residential areas, especially as this can be seen to give a lead to Local Authorities throughout the State, but we are disappointed that there are no proposals to reduce 50 and 60 km/h speed limit on arterial roads or to increase the number of periodic 30km/h limits outside schools.

2.0 Opportunities Missed

We are disappointed however not to see any proposals to reduce speed limits on distributor/arterial roads. We are particularly disappointed in the light of the commitment by a majority of the newly-elected Councillors in the Dublin Agreement to reduce speed limits on arterial roads to 30 kilometres per hour. Our position remains that which we submitted in response to the 2016 and 2018 Speed Limit Reviews “However, Love 30 is disappointed that it is proposed to retain the existing 50 km/h limits on the distributor roads. Love 30 favours 30 km/h limits on these roads; alternatively a special speed limit of 40 km/h could be applied. This would help to reduce traffic speeds on these roads and could serve as a warning to motorists that they are approaching an area of lower speed limits.” Arterial roads and streets of particular concern are:

Reduce from 50 km/h to 30 km/h Bath Avenue Leeson St Bridge Fitzwilliam Place Marlborough Road South Richmond St/Portobello Belgrave Sq E Orwell Park Zion Road Larkfield Park Bulfin Rd Manor St Skreen Rd Connaught St Botanic Avenue Vernon Avenue (between Clontarf Rd and Seafield Rd) Phillipsburgh Ave East Wall Road

Reduce from 60 km/h to 50 km/h Howth Road and James Larkin Road. Griffith Ave (Ext) Chapelizod Road

Love30 is disappointed also that there are no proposals to increase the low number of periodic speed limits outside schools as we believe that there should be 30 km/h limits outside all schools and that parking should be prohibited at the entrances to schools. The vehicle school run is a major cause of traffic congestion, and a potential conflict point leading to increased likelihood of accidents.

Love 30 commends the City Council for carrying out speed checks in some of the existing 30km/h zones but we are disappointed to see clear evidence of continued breaking of the speed limit in these existing 30 km/h areas. We recommend that the introduction of 30 km/h speed limits be accompanied, where necessary, by traffic-calming measures to encourage slower speeds. A variety of traffic-calming measures such as on-street painted ‘roundels’, electronic speed recording signs alerting motorists to their speed, occasional raised crossing (ramps) in strategic locations, chicanes, road narrowing, planters etc. can also make drivers more aware of the speed limit and encourage them to slow down.

Love30 recognises that Sandymount appears to be the only urban village in the City Council area to have a proposed 30 km/h limit. Lower speeds encourage village revival and more footfall, benefiting businesses and communities. We recommend that villages in Dublin City Council area be made 30 km/h by default, with exceptions made for any village where it is deemed to be absolutely necessary to remain at 50 km/h. These 30 km/h villages should include:

Ringsend Donnybrook Milltown Ranelagh Rathmines Rathgar Terenure Stoneybatter Phibsborough Finglas Clontarf Raheny Killester

3.0 Recommendations

It is also critical that the introduction of the new limits should be accompanied by a continuous publicity campaign to ensure that people living in the areas concerned, and motorists travelling through the areas, are made fully aware of the new lower speed limits. This does not appear to have been the case in the earlier lower speed limit areas, and a broad continuous professional information campaign should be implemented.

As referred to above in Section 2 we recommend the introduction of speed limit roundels, electronic speed signs, occasional raised pedestrian crossing tables, and other measures to encourage greater awareness of, and compliance with, the new speed limits.

At least occasional speed checks by An Garda Siochana need to happen, particularly in areas where there are larger numbers of children, but also in areas where, anecdotally, speed limits are not being heeded. These areas could be identified with the help of local communities, through the local area arms of the City Council. It is also recommended that the Garda compile reports on these occasional speed checks in order to feed into the knowledge base on speeding issues.

It would be extremely useful for research purposes and also for long term validation of the lower speed limits, if detailed statistics on road collisions from year to year were supplied by the Garda. Ideally, past records of road collisions throughout each area of the city should be compiled, and compared to any changes in patterns as the new lower speed limits are introduced.

4.0 Summary

Love30 welcomes the expansion of 30 km/h speed limits to all residential areas in Dublin City Love 30 is disappointed, however, not to see any proposals to reduce speed limits on distributor/arterial roads. Love30 regrets the failure to increase the low number of periodic speed limits outside schools Love30 recommends a heightened and continuous publicity campaign to drive home the message of lower speeds and a safer city Love30 recommends a variety of speed reducing mechanisms be trialled to support compliance with the new limits. Love30 requests the Garda to carry out occasional speed checks in the designated lower speed zones, and compile reports on the results of the checks. Love30 requests that the collection and compilation of all collision records be systemised for the Dublin City area to support the validation of the lower speed limit zones.

Consultation page on Dublin city council websitehttps://consultation.dublincity.ie/traffic-and-transport/proposed-special-speed-limits-2019/

Dublin Cycling campaign website link