Speed limit cut mooted for Limerick motorway

A SPEED limit cut is being planned on a busy Limerick motorway.

In response to safety and capacity issues between junctions 1 (Rosbrien) and 3 (Raheen) on the M20, both council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland are considering reducing the speed limit from 120 kilometres-per-hour (kph) to 100kph.

Council senior engineer Aidan Finn said the local authority executive is committed to the plan, but notes that the setting of speed limits is something which can only be done by the Department of Transport.

Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan had raised issues around noise mitigation at this month’s metropolitan meeting.

The City West member had highlighted the fact residents in Glencairn in Dooradoyle were experiencing noise pollution from traffic on the adjacent motorway.

She was told that TII and council will also undertake a pavement overlay with a new surface in the hope of reducing noise – similar to the M7.

Across Ireland, the maximum speed limit on the motorway network is 120 kph.

However, there are a number of exceptions to this, with temporary cuts imposed in the event of roadworks or bad weather.

On the M50, the limit is 100kph between junctions 3 and 13, while on the section between the Port Tunnel and the M1 interchange, the limit falls even lower – to just 80kph.