S.I. No. 194/1992:

ROAD TRAFFIC (GENERAL AND ORDINARY SPEED LIMITS) REGULATIONS, 1992.

ROAD TRAFFIC (GENERAL AND ORDINARY SPEED LIMITS) REGULATIONS, 1992.

The Minister for the Environment in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 5 and 44 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961) and Section 44A of the said Act, as inserted by section 24 of the Road Traffic Act, 1968 (No. 25 of 1968) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (General and Ordinary Speed Limits) Regulations, 1992.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 30th day of July 1992.

3. The Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Regulations, 1963 ( S.I. No. 18 of 1963 ) and the Road Traffic (General Speed Limit) Regulations, 1979 ( S.I. No. 176 of 1979 ) are hereby revoked.

4. In these Regulations, save where the context otherwise requires:

"the Act" means the Road Traffic Act, 1961 ;

"built-up area speed limit", "general speed limit" "ordinary speed limit" and "special speed limit" have the meanings respectively assigned to them in Part IV of the Act;

"design gross vehicle weight" has the meaning assigned to it in the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations, 1989 ( S.I. No. 285 of 1989 );

"passenger accommodation" means seating passenger accommodation determined in accordance with the provisions of the Road Traffic (Passenger Accommodation of Mechanically Propelled Vehicles) Regulations, 1962 ( S.I. No. 143 of 1962 );

"road" means a public road;

5. There shall be a general speed limit of 60 miles per hour on all roads other than roads to which a built-up area speed limit or a special speed limit applies.

6. (1) There shall be an ordinary speed limit of 50 miles per hour in respect of all roads for--

( a ) single decked mechanically propelled vehicles intended or adapted primarily for the carriage of passengers which have passenger accommodation for more than eight persons.

( b ) mechanically propelled vehicles neither intended nor adapted primarily for the carriage of passengers which have a design gross vehicle weight in excess of 3,500 kilogrammes.

( c ) a combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle drawing another vehicle.

7. There shall be an ordinary speed limit of 40 miles per hour in respect of all roads for double decked mechanically propelled vehicles intended or adapted primarily for the carriage of passengers and having passenger accommodation for more than eight persons.

8. A speed limit prescribed in articles 6, or 7 of these Regulations shall not apply in respect of any road in respect of which a lesser speed limit is prescribed in the Act or in Regulations made under Part IV of the Act.

9. There shall be excepted from the speed limits prescribed in these Regulations the following--

( a ) ambulances,

( b ) fire brigades, and

( c ) vehicles used by members of the Garda Síochána in the performance of their duties as such members.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for the Environment, this 16th day of July, 1992.

MICHAEL SMITH,

Minister for the Environment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations revoke the Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Regulations 1963, and the Road Traffic (General Speed Limit) Regulations, 1979.

Under these Regulations a "General Speed Limit" of 60 miles per hour is prescribed for all roads other than roads to which a "built-up area speed limit" or a "special speed limit" applies.

In addition the Regulations prescribe an "Ordinary Speed Limit" of 50 miles per hour for single deck buses; for goods vehicles having a design gross vehicle weight in excess of 3,500 kilograms and for all vehicles drawing another vehicle.

The Regulations also prescribe an "Ordinary Speed Limit" of 40 miles per hour for double deck buses.

Ambulances, Fire Brigades and Garda Síochána vehicles, while being used in the course of duty, are exempt from the speed limits.