Safe Speed Forums

Speed camera "totally inappropriate" in 50km zone
Published Date: 08 December 2010 By Majella Reid
All rights reserved ©2010 Johnston Press Digital Publishing

Local road users were recently surprised to discover a speed enforcement van on the Longford to Drumlish Road, parked near the Clonbalt Woods estate on the edge of Longford town.

The location, though clearly visible, was believed by many to be inappropriate. Among those to express their concerns was local man, Harry McKenna.
"I take road safety very seriously," he said, speaking to the Leader. "I welcome these new speed enforcement vans but they should be utilised where there is an accident blackspot and not 200 yards down the road from the Texaco Filling Station roundabout. As far as I know nobody has been killed on that stretch of road."

Some people believe that hte stretch of road was chosen for its easy speed detection rather that its focus upon speed safety.
"In that particular stretch it's very easy to do 54 in a 50km zone, if that's what it is," said Harry. "It's a totally inappropriate place if we want to stop accidents. Why aren't they out on the Athlone Road where the white crosses are?
"We were led to believe also that these vans would be highly visible but they are just an ordinary white van."

Drumlish Councillor Martin Mulleady (FF) agrees that the location is not ideal.
"While we welcome the speed cameras as way of decreasing accidents, the location of that van on the Drumlish Road seemed unfair," he said. "In a road like that, inside a zone, it's ridiculous. These vans should be out on the roads where most of the speeding and accidents are occurring."
According to the Garda Press Office, who are deploying these vans via the company Go Safe, the van may not necessarily have been detecting incidents of speed.
"Go Safe also carry out survey work for us which includes monitoring traffic. That van may not have been detecting speed," said a spokesperson for the Garda Press Office.