Does Skerries need lower speed limits?

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Fingal County Council are drafting bye-laws on special 30 km/h speed limits in selected residential areas, but not for Skerries.  We, the public, have until 24 October to make submissions on this.

As currently drafted, the bye-laws will introduce 30km/h speed limits in parts of Swords, Donabate, Balrothery, Balbriggan, Sutton, Baldoyle, Malahide, Kinsealy, Mulhuddart and Ongar.  As of now, there are no draft bye-laws for any part of Skerries.

Details and maps are at https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/public-display-road-traffic-special-speed-limitscounty-fingaldraft-bye-laws-no-1-local

Does any part of Skerries need a 30 km/h speed limit?

You can make your opinion count by making a personal submission to Fingal County Council at https://consult.fingal.ie/en/node/add/civiq-comments?c=8043

Skerries Community Association will also be making a submission to Fingal County Council.  Our submission will cover the areas where there are EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN INTRODUCING 30 KM/H LIMITS.  Give us your feedback by emailing traffic@skerriesca.com with your views.

In addition to improving safety, lower speed limits would help parents feel more confident about allowing their children the freedom to walk and cycle. This would have consequential benefits for their fitness and general health, would contribute to combating the rising levels of obesity in our society, and encourage greater social interaction.

Older people and those with disabilities can be intimidated by fast-moving traffic and are more comfortable moving about in areas with lower speeds. The improved safety, and perception of safety, provided by lower speed limits can transform urban streets and residential estates into more vibrant living spaces, providing a better living environment.

We recognise that a speed limit reduction will not be successful in reducing speed and improving safety unless improved enforcement and appropriate road design accompany it. We support the recommendation in the Design Manual for Urban Streets (Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, together with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, 2013), the official guidance policy for local authorities in relation to street design, that as far as possible lower speed limits should be accompanied by psychological and physical measures to encourage observance.

Possible 30 km/h speed limit zones for Skerries

Within the town and adjacent housing estates

  • In all housing estates, but also in residential areas which are not part of housing estates
  • On the Dublin Road/Thomas Hand St. from the Community Centre/to the Monument.
  • In Strand St. from its junction with Quay St. to just North of Manning’s Opening.  This is a very busy area in Skerries with a lot of pedestrian and cycling activity. Vehicles are often parked on both sides of the roadway, which increases risk to pedestrians crossing the road and to cyclists.
  • In Hoar Rock where pedestrians often walk on the lanes/roads due to narrowness of footpaths.
  • On Harbour Road from the laneway at the Southern end of the Sailing Club Boathouse up to Red Island.  Cars and taxis frequently drive at excessive speed on Harbour Road which, from Spring to Autumn, is frequently thronged with pedestrians at the harbour end.

Distributor Road/Barnageeragh Road

Traffic levels on this road are set to increase when the new section at Barnageeragh Cove/Hamilton Hill housing estates is opened to the coast road. This road will then operate as a bypass for traffic which does not need to access the town centre.

Skerries Educate Together School is situated on this road.  Would a periodic speed limit of 30 km/h operating around school start and finish times be appropriate along here?

Note: Local authorities have power to make periodic speed limits and many of them do so. In Fingal there appears to be only one such at Pope John Paul II School, Sea Road, Malahide which operates at these times: Periodic 30 km/h Special Speed Limit Operational Hours: The following times during school term: Monday to Friday: 8:15am to 9:30am and 12:15pm to 3.15pm

Weekday parking on the Distributor Road by rail commuters now frequently extends from Townparks to the Bottle Bank at the Selskar Court entrance. About 100 cars are now parked along here on weekdays. This reduces sightlines and general visibility and thereby increases risk for all road users, in particular cyclists and pedestrians.

Turning right from Distributor Road into Townparks and turning right out of Townparks can be difficult and dangerous at busy periods. A 30km/h zone starting at Dublin Road would help this situation.

Would a periodic speed limit (to apply Monday to Friday) of 30km/h be appropriate from Dublin Road to Selskar Court entrance?

Coast Road near Barnageeragh Road

The opening of the Distributor Road is expected to divert through traffic from the coast road.

The stretch of coast road from Barnageeragh Cove housing estate (near Kittiwake apartments) to the White Cottages could then be made safer for walkers and cyclists and residents by means of a 30kph speed limit and signage indicating mixed use for cyclists.

We want to hear from you!

Give us your feedback by emailing traffic@skerriesca.com with your
views and/or make your own online submission at https://consult.fingal.ie/en/node/add/civiq-comments?c=8043