Gardai confirm plan to install new static speed camera on busy Carlow road

Gardai have confirmed they plan to install a new static speed camera on one of the busiest roads in Co Carlow by the end of this year.

The device, one of nine planned for locations across the country, will be located on the N80, between Barristown and Levitstown.

Announcing the planned roll out, a garda spokesperson said static-speed safety cameras have been proven internationally to reduce speeding, which is one of the main contributors to road deaths in Ireland and elsewhere.

Seven of the proposed cameras will be installed on national primary routes while two will be located on a regional road. 

In addition to Carlow, cameras will be located on the N69 (Limerick, N59 (Galway), N25 (Waterford), R772 (Wicklow), N14 (Donegal), Dublin (Dolphin’s Barn), N17 (Mayo) and on the N22 in Cork.
 
According to gardai, each of the locations were selected based on fatal and serious injury collision data from the last seven years and speed data, as well as feedback from stakeholders.
 
The nine static speed cameras are being funded from the Garda budget at a cost of approximately €2.4 million over the next 18 months.
 
The cameras will be rolled out in conjunction with average speed cameras which are planned for the N3 (Butler’s Bridge, Co Cavan), the N5 (Swinford, Co. Mayo), and the N2 (Slane, Co Meath) and which are expected to be operational by the end of October.

Average speed cameras are already operational on the N7, between Limerick and Nenagh and at the Dublin Port Tunnel.

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Separately, the number of GoSafe-operated speed detection vans will increase from 55 to 58 in the coming weeks.

Confirming the latest initiative, a garda spokesperson stated that Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has requested that the Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for roads policing develop a business case for the introduction of a further 100 static speed cameras.

This business case will then form part of An Garda Síochána’s application for its overall funding in 2025 as part of the Estimates Process.

Commenting, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said: "Static speed safety cameras have been proven in other countries to be highly effective in changing driver behaviour and reducing speed, which is a key contributor to road deaths. Speed cameras slow drivers down. The lower speeds people drive at, the lower the number of road deaths.”

As with GoSafe vans, drivers detected by static speed cameras breaking the speed limit on that road will be automatically issued a fixed charge penalty notice. 

The locations for the nine static speed safety cameras, announced this Wednesday, are:

Carlow: N80, between Barristown and Levitstown
Limerick: N69, east of Askeaton
Galway: N59, between Moycullen and Galway City
Waterford: N25, between Glenmore and Luffany
Wicklow: R772, Arklow Road, Aske, north of Gorey
Donegal: N14, east of Letterkenny
Dublin: Crumlin Road/Parnell Road/Dolphin Road/Dolphin’s Barn Junction
Mayo: N17, northeast of Claremorris
Cork: N22, east of Lissarda, west of Ovens

Site visits and partnership engagement are ongoing to progress the engineering for the installation of the cameras.

Road users in Carlow and elsewhere will be advised of the location of static speed safety cameras through road signage and local information campaigns.