'Slower speeds save lives': Cork councillors welcome changes to speed limits 

“Slower speeds save lives” has been the unanimous message from Cork councillors who spoke with The Echo about newly reduced speed limits.

Under the new limits, which came into effect on Friday, local rural roads which previously had a default speed limit of 80km/h, now have reduced speed limits of 60km/h.

Those roads primarily serve local traffic, providing access to homes, farms, and small rural communities, and to reflect the new limits, new signage will be erected along impacted routes.

Further measures, which are set to be introduced later this year, will see the speed limit in urban centres, including housing estates and town centres, reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h, and the speed limit on national secondary roads reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, said reduced speed limits had shown “stark” results since their introduction in Wales.

The Welsh government switched the default speed limit on mostly urban roads in September 2023, and with some exemptions most 30mph roads became 20.

Between October 2023 to September 2024, around 100 fewer people were killed or seriously injured on 20 and 30mph roads in Wales than in the same period the year before.

“We do know that speed is a factor in about 20% of road traffic accidents, so what you’re doing is giving people better chances to live,” Mr Boyle.

“Introducing new ways of doing things, slower ways, and making people think about how and when they use their cars, can only benefit us.” 

Sinn Féin city councillor Kenneth Collins, who is a professional truck driver, welcomed the reduction in speed limits.

“A speed limit of 80km/h doesn’t mean you should travel at 80km/h, it means that should be the maximum speed at which you travel,” Mr Collins said.

“People need to be wary and mindful of speed limits and it’s going to be a very good thing to reduce deaths on our roads in this country."

Fine Gael county councillor Úna McCarthy said road safety was a key priority for Government, and she welcomed the development.

“Lower speed limits can significantly reduce the risk of accidents particularly on rural roads where there can be unexpected obstacles like animals, pedestrians, cyclists or sharp bends,” Ms McCarthy said.

“I am appealing to drivers to comply with these new speed limits and hope to see more resources put into regular speed monitoring to ensure the lower limits are effective.” 

Labour Party city councillor Peter Horgan said that reducing speed limits was just one measure needed to save lives.

“It’s not a silver bullet and should be accompanied with additional garda resources allocated to Cork by the commissioner and specifically to roads policing,” Mr Horgan said.