Bray Court finds metric speed limits at variance with law

It has emerged at Bray District Court that speed limits on some major roads may not be working in accordance with the law.

A technicality has shown that special speed limit areas must be imposed by a vote of the local county or city council.
Questions about the legality of the speed limit on the N11 through Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, were raised in Bray District Court. Judge Murrough Connellan heard an argument that there was a 19-month delay between the adoption of a special speed limit area and its ratification by an elected members' vote.

The default system of limits, introduced in January 2004, provides for specific limits on designated roads. If limits are varied, a local authority vote must approve them.
The vote opened the way for thousands of motorists to study the making of limits in their local authorities and apply to have their penalty points lifted if all is not in order.

The legal measure introducing the new kilometre limits in January 2004 also allowed councils the chance to create special areas where speed limits could be lowered or raised.
At Kilmacanogue Wicklow County Council decided to reduce the speed limit on a stretch of the N11 through the village, from the usual 100km/h for such dual carriageways, to 60km/h.

The decision was taken in April 2004 but it was not ratified until November 2005. As a result Judge Connellan struck out 86 cases.