TII rejects calls to cut speed limit at accident blackspot on busy Limerick road

A TRAFFIC calming scheme in Limerick is now unlikely to happen after a State agency refused to allow a speed limit cut.

Councillors have been left furious at a refusal by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to countenance a speed reduction from 100 kilometres per hour to 60 kilometres per hour on the N21 at Coolanoran between Newcastle West and Rathkeale.

At a full council meeting, members were asked to approve plans to bring in a designated cycle path, resurface pavements and paint new road markings at the stretch of road on the N21.

One thing missing from the plans beside the Applegreen service station is an almost 50% speed limit cut with councillors arguing the proposed set-up would be “extremely dangerous” especially if vehicles stop suddenly to use the facility.

Councillor Adam Teskey, who lives closest to the area said: “The whole esssence of a traffic calming scheme would demonstrate you should be reducing the speed limit.”

But the local authority’s transport director Brian Kennedy said that TII had rejected an application to reduce the speed limit. He said if councillors did amend the application to include a 60kph zone, council would not have the authority to deliver it.

“We have no authority to change the speed limit. If you condition it, we cannot deliver this plan,” he said.

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Fellow official Nuala Gallagher added councillors would be acting outside their powers.

It sparked uproar in the chamber, with members questioning the point of bringing these plans to them for approval.

Many pointed out their powers include approving a so-called part-eight application like this, rejecting it or amending it.

Councillor Kevin Sheahan said: “It appears local government has been bulldozed and torpedoed here today. There are 40 people who came here to serve the people in good faith and State bodies have decided to totally undermine us.”

Fine Gael’s council leader John Sheahan suggested they pass the application with the amendment of a speed limit cut.

“I know we are taking a risk and God forbid if there is an accident in six months’ time, the minutes of this meeting will be brought up by a solicitor. But there are times we need to stand up to the establishments and the faceless people, and there are times we need to draw it out to the limit. This is one of those times,” said the Glin member.

The application with an amendment seeking a speed limit reduction went to a roll-call ballot, which was passed by 19 votes to seven. Fine Gael councillors all voted in favour of the amendment, Fianna Fail voted against, while the Green Party’s two members abstained.

Following this, Mr Kennedy confirmed it means the overall traffic calming scheme cannot take place.

“But we will proceed with the planing out, overlay and resurfacing,” he told councillors at the monthly meeting last week.