Councillor James Byrne is encouraging people and resident’s associations from estates and streets not included in the forthcoming reduction in the speed limit to 30kph to let their views be known to Louth County Council.
Courteous drivers do not have to be told to slow down in residential areas, they know that in the blink of an eye a child can run out on to the road after a ball straight into the traffic.
In a perfect world the local authority wouldn’t have to threaten drivers with fines and spend millions on “traffic calming measures” in housing estates either.
But this is no perfect world and between people hurrying because they are late or boy/girl racers using our public roads as private race tracks means that pedestrians must be protected by reduced speed limits.
Louth County Council has already passed the Housing Estates Special Speed Limit Bye Laws which introduced a new 30kph speed limit for 59 housing estates in County Louth starting on August 25th.
Following a request from Cllr. James Byrne at the July Council meeting though, the Council has initiated an immediate review in the hope that it can be extended to all residential areas.
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“While I welcome the introduction of the new bye-laws which will come into force on 25th August it only covers a limited number of estates and streets around Drogheda” Cllr, Byrne said.
“It appears that the decision to include areas within the scope of the bye-laws was based on public engagement during the early stages of the statutory consultation process. Many areas were left out as I believe there was a general lack of (public) awareness.
“This is another golden opportunity for residents and community groups to have their say to Louth County Council about speed limits on their street or stretch of road. I would encourage as many people as possible to air their views between now and September 12th.”
Submissions can be posted to Anne Kieran, Acting Administrative Officer, Placemaking and Physical Development Department, Louth County Council, County Hall, Millennium Centre, Dundalk, Co. Louth A91 KFW6 or by email to akieran@louthcoco.ie
