Speed limits in Ireland
The Light Locomotives on Highways (Ireland) Order 1896 then set a maximum national speed limit of 12 mph (19 km/h) with a speed limit of 6 mph (9.7 km/h) for traffic in villages, towns and the Dublin Metropolitan Police District.
[3] However, the main piece of legislation responsible for the introduction of speed limits in Ireland was Part IV of the Road Traffic Act, 1961.
It also allowed local authorities to specify special speed limits through regulations made under this Act.
[5] Throughout the mid to late 1960s local authorities studied roads in their areas and had regulations drafted specifically for their county which prescribed speed limits of 30 mph (48 km/h) and 40 mph (64 km/h) along specifically named roads in their administrative area.
While the built up area and special speed limits were clearly indicated to motorists by the number 30, 40 or 50 in black numbers on a white circular background with a red outline, there was no such signage for the general 60 mph (97 km/h) speed limit.
In February 2012 Leo Varadkar, then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, tasked a working group with reviewing speed-limit policy and implementation.
[16]: iii It found the default limits were unsafely high on many minor roads where they applied.
The sign, in combination with a supplementary plate (bilingually reading SLOW and Go Mall), was introduced in 2015 with the publication of the Guidelines for Setting and Managing Speed Limits in Ireland.
Speed limits for national secondary roads and in built-up areas are due to decrease later in 2025.
The 120 km/h (75 mph) limit is ordinary for motorways but can be special for dual carriageways forming part of a national primary road.
[citation needed] An amendment to the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations in 2012 allowed a new speed limit of 40 km/h (25 mph) to be applied by a city or county council.
[citation needed] Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual was superseded by an updated version which allowed for the erection of signage stating a cautionary speed limit in the vicinity of road works.
