A law that would reduce speed limits to 30km/h in all residential areas in the Dublin City Council region has been approved by the council's transport committee.
The law is not yet in place, however, as it still needs to be voted on by councillors at their monthly meeting in January. The move would extend the 30km/h limit to all residential areas up to the council’s boundaries with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin and Fingal.
The transport policy committee also approved plans for an increase in parking charges to up to €3.50 an hour in the city. However, these too will have to be voted on at the meeting in the New Year.
The local authority has been working for more than a decade to reduce speed limits on most roads in the city council area. In 2007, it lowered speed limits in the shopping and central business area of the city from 50km/h to 30km/h.
From 2011 the zone was extended as far as Bolton Street on the northside to St Stephen's Green on the southside, and from Church Street in the west to Gardiner Street and Dawson Street in the east. Parts of the Ballsbridge and Ringsend areas and Marino were also covered by the 30km/h restriction.
The council last year pushed the 30km/h limit out to 12 more southside suburbs and 19 on the north side.
Following public consultation in August and September, the council’s traffic department determined the speed limits should apply to all roads and streets, excluding certain arterial routes, as far as its boundary with the three other Dublin local authorities.
More than 900 submissions were made to the council, almost 700 of which supported the extension of the speed limits. The limit is expected to be introduced in three phases next year.
The new parking charges, expected to come into force in July, would see parking fees rise to €3.50 an hour in the central yellow zone, €3 an hour in the red zone and €1.80 an hour in green zone. Lower rates will apply to motorists who use parking tags rather than cash to pay.
