30kph Myth-Busting Fact Sheet

The discussion surrounding the recently introduced 30Km/h speed zone in small parts of Dublin city centre have thrown up some myths. Each myth is busted below.

Myth

Busted

It’s ridiculously slow

50km/h feels slow when slowing from motorway speed; you soon get used to it

It’s being used as a revenue-raiser from speeding fines

This was never proposed by the Council as a motivating factor, but several real motivations were: Safety, noise reduction, encouragement of cycling to comply with Government guidelines, and reduction of congestion

You could walk faster

A generally acknowledged fast walking speed is 5 km/h.

It delays motorists

The maximum delay, if crossing the 30km/h zone without stopping once for signals or stop signs, is 68 seconds.

It causes frustration for motorists

The maximum delay, if crossing the 30km/h zone without stopping once for signals or stop signs, is 68 seconds, so this frustration will not last long.

There aren’t many people injured in this area anyway

Over an eleven-year period in this area, 20 pedestrians (many elderly) and 5 cyclists lost their lives, almost 300 were seriously injured and over 3,000 suffered minor injuries due to road traffic collisions.

International research has shown that the probability of death for a pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 30km/h is about 5%. At 50km/h, however, it is 40% approximately. At 60km/h or above, death is virtually certain.

Safety research from UK: In London streets, imposing 20mph (32km/h) speed limits has cut road injuries by 40%, and was particularly useful in saving young children from death and injury, according to researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Also in the UK, the Grundy study, published in the British Medical Journal, found a reduction to a 20mph (32km/h) limit led to a 40 per cent fall in casualties and collisions over a 20-year period to 2006

It’s more appropriate for residential areas

This is a residential area -one of the most densely populated in the State with an estimated 19,000 residents

It’s an extreme measure

It's the norm for our European neighbours (2,150 such zones in England; widespread use in Scotland, and many cities: London; Munich; Utrecht; Stuttgart; Barcelona; Graz; Freiburg; Ghent).

It will stop people coming into the city for business

It is already improving the business & retail environment in our city centre- noise, pollution and the sense of danger from vehicles are reduced. It's a calmer experience for drivers, too. Noise, pollution, injuries and congestion must all be MEASURED before any change is made.

We're all pedestrians; even motorists have to walk some time
Dublin is one of the safest places in the country While thanks primarily to the efforts of Dublin City Council over the last 10-15 years, Dublin City has a low rate of fatalities per capita, this small central area is one of the most dangerous accident clusters in the country. Dublin City has 1% of the country's roads, but has 4-8% of road collision fatalities. The accident rate in the city is much greater than the accident rate in either the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown or Fingal council areas.

It won’t make any difference to congestion

It's common-sense that this will actually increase traffic flow: Just try pouring a bag of rice into a funnel -if you pour slowly, the flow is faster. Increased speeds lead to clogging.

Contact us with other myths and we'll update this page.

If you would like to express your support for retaining the limit, please contact you local councillor and also consider joining the Facebook page set up to keep the limit.