Speed limit changes mooted across Athlone area

PROPOSED changes to speed limits in Athlone and surrounding areas are to go to public consultation after which decisions will be taken on changing limits in a number of areas.
Senior Engineer with Westmeath County Council Michael Connolly told a meeting of Athlone Municipal District on Monday that that there are bye-laws in place. “It's a case of reviewing the bye-laws that we have,” he said.
The process started a year ago and members of the council were asked to lodge submissions on proposed changes. Sixteen changes are proposed and will now go to public consultation.

They include:
*Relocating the 100/50kph limits on all off-slip roads to 30 metres from the end of the slip roads on the N6 at Junctions 9 (Garrycastle), 10 (Ballymahon Road) and 11 (Coosan).
*Reducing the existing 100kph limit to 80 kph in the N55 from Cornamaddy to the county boundary at Tang (excluding the villages).
*Relocating the 100kph limit by a distance of 220 metres towards east from the junction with the N62 on the R446 at Fardrum.
*Extending the existing 50 kph limit for a distance to a point 50 metres west of its junction with the Newtown Road and west of the road bend on the R390 on the Athlone Road, Ballymore.
*Creating a 50kph speed limit for 400 metres encompassing the national school, church and cemetery on the L5238 at Boher, Streamstown.
*Reducing the length of the 80kph special speed limit to a point 262 metres north of the Athlone Town boundary on the L8009 Clonown Road, Athlone.
*Creating a 50kph speed limit for a distance of 550 metres at its intersection with the Dublin to Galway Greenway on the L5436 at Maghermore, Mount Temple.
Fianna Fáil Councillor Aengus O'Rourke suggested that signage be put in place to remind motorists to drive on the left hand side when they come off the motorway onto regional and local roads. Some of the signage that is in place is of poor quality and patchy, he said.
In response, Mr Connolly said there are issues at night, but the signs are replaced “on a periodic basis”.
Fine Gael Councillor Tom Farrell welcomed a proposal to reduce the speed limit to 50kph in the vicinity of Tang National School and proposed a similar limit in the vicinity of Tubberclair National School. The traffic situation near Tubberclair is “crazy” at present, he said.
The next stage in the process is the public consultation and advertisements in the local newspapers.
At the end of the public consultation process, the council will return to the members with draft bye-laws, said Mr Connolly.
“If there are significant issues it goes back to Athlone Municipal District. If there are no issues it goes directly back to the (full county) council,” he said.
“To implement changes in speed limits we need approval from the TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland),” said Mr Connolly.