Dublin City Centre Speed Restriction Zealots

Minor Impact on City Speed Zealots

I proposed the following motion to try to re-instate common sense speed limits on major traffic arteries in Dublin City Centre – in particular the quays along the river Liffey. Given that only Nial Ring, Gerry Breen and I objected to the imposition of this zealotry in the first place one year ago, a compromise had to be tabled to have any chance of a diminution of this unreasonable scheme.

Bill Tormey’s Motion

”When the speed limit changes to 30 kpm introduced in January on some inner city streets are reviewed at the City Council that the 30 kph is retained on the Liffey quays from Capel Street Bridge junction to O’Connell Bridge junction. On the rest of the quays, in addition to Winetavern Street and Kildare Street, the speed limit reverts to 50 kph and in association that a pedestrian shelf table be constructed at the halfpenny bridge to overtly prioritise pedestrians.”

With the exception of the pedestrian table, Labour voted for this last Winter!

At the Traffic and Transport SPC in September, a majority – excluding the sensible Deputy Mayor Eadie Wynne – voted to remove Merchants Quay, Wood Quay, Essex Quay and Winetavern Street south of the river and Inns Quay and Ormond Quay Upper on the north side from the 30 kph zone. I presume that the stricture “there is a pedestrian crossing at Essex Quay and if the boundary is being drawn it should be at the pedestrian crossing just before the Civic Offices” is included in the motion agreed,
even though these details were not discussed at the Council meeting.

It is clear that Labour have now voted for three different versions of the speed limits in the city centre. – A Joke-

The entertaining Lord Lacey of Beech Hill claims that this is consistency. It is for him! I again did not vote for this inadequate compromise, only because the vote ‘for’ was counted first. I would have voted ‘for’ if there was a written vote as it is an improvement on the current situation. A small advance is better than no change. Maybe there will be a time for the Chukkies!