Anger grows at Dublin city speed limit
Monday, 8 February 2010
A motion to drop the 30km/h speed limit in Dublin city centre has been lodged amid growing anger among motorists at the restriction.
The motion, which has cross-party support, will be debated at the next full meeting of Dublin City Council on 1 March.
Labour party leader Eamon Gilmore criticised the new limit even though it was brought by his own party councillors.
Some Labour city councillors have indicated that they would be willing to support some relaxation of the limit, particularly on the quays.
This would require a new by-law and another period of public consultation in a process that could take some months.
But the motion lodged today by Fine Gael councillor Bill Tormey would, if successful, mean the limit would be quickly scrapped.
The motion is supported by 11 other councillors, including Sinn Féin and a number of Independents.
Dublin City Lord Mayor and Labour party member Emer Costelloe said there is a lot of misinformation about the limit, with many people wrongly believing it covers the whole city centre.
She said the 30km/h limit was in place in a number of city streets without any difficulty and had been extended to cover an area used by large numbers of pedestrians.
Major arterial routes such as Gardiner Street on the north side and most of St Stephen's Green on the south side are not affected.
