The East Cork Municipality are to introduce a new 30KM/hour speed limit in 5 of the boroughs housing estates, as part of a national initiative.
Dun Coran Youghal, The Maples and The Willows in Castlemartyr , Cloyne Meadows, Cotswolds Midleton and Lauriston Estate Midleton, are to benefit from a government pilot scheme designed to put the breaks on speeding motorists.
New signs which incorporate a 30KM/hr child at play sign will be visible at the entrance to these housing estates in the coming months.
These 5 estates form part of a national campaign rolled out by Transport Minister Pascal O’Donohoe.
The Pilot programme is designed to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and children. At Monday’s (2 February) sitting Senior Engineer Road Cork County council David Clarke said ” the most important objective is to decrease speed limits in housing estates to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists and especially children the department of Transport see the increased use of a 30 kmph speed limit in residential areas as a measure that would help to achieve that objective” he said.
Although this is some good news for these 5 estates it will be another 6 to 9 months before the speed limit becomes effective.
Mr. Clarke told the meeting “there will be a statutory consultation process, An Garda Siochana will be involved, by- laws have to be put in place. This will be carried out on a county wide basis and will come back to each municipality” he told the sitting representatives.
Councillor Pat Buckley welcomed the proposal “this initiative is a positive step forward. If this pilot scheme will initially work it will be rolled out again. I think the people that are living in the estates who are saying that it is only a sig, it’s not only a sign you have to stick to that limit as well .”
The senior engineer concurred with councillor Buckley “the vast majority of people are not driving 50kmph in these estates. Most people drive in at an appropriate speed. If you do get someone driving 50 it is very hard for that individual to be tackled by an Garda Siochana. If the legal limit is 30 it means the small amount of people driving recklessly can actually be tackled under the law, for the moment basically they can’t “