CONFUSION ARISES OVER NEW MOTORWAY STATUS OF LOCAL ROADS
Motorists have been warned that the motorway status afforded this week to the N8 Mitchelstown-Fermoy road has been granted to the Mitchelstown by-pass currently under construction and not to the existing roadway.
Questions had been asked over the speed limits on local roadways following the implementation of Transport Minister Noel Dempsey’s motorway declaration. The redefinition of the 260km of roadway across the country to motorway status sees the speed limit of the new motorways raised to 120kph.
Certain categories of road users are prohibited from using motorways, e.g. learner drivers, vehicles not exceeding 50cc in engine capacity, vehicles not capable of a speed of 50kph, pedestrians and cyclists.
“It’s great news that we are progressing ahead with the re-designation of these dual carriageways to motorways. The motorways announced today are located throughout all the regions and they continue to underpin this Government’s commitment to safer, more efficient roads and to enhance the quality of life for people and for business,” Minister Dempsey said this week.
While the recently opened N8 Cashel-Mitchelstown road scheme was, as expected, afforded such status, the inclusion of the N8 Mitchelstown-Fermoy roadway on the list of new motorways has caused some confusion.
However the wording of both the 2007 Roads Act and the minister’s Declaration of Motorways Order 2008 leave no doubt as to which road is the new motorway.
Section 8 of the 2007 Act indicates that with regard to new motorways “the road developments concerned will be at least dual carriageways or integrated parts of the design of dual carriageways and part of the network of national roads,” while the minister’s declaration states that “proposed road developments” are included in the list of new motorways.
Published:
Thursday 25th September 7:29pm
