In January 2021 Love 30 wrote to Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, asking him to introduce a speed limit of 30 km/h on all urban roads. This follows on from the same request to his predecessor, Minister Shane Ross (see attached).

Dear Minister (Eamon Ryan),

I am writing on behalf of the Love 30 Campaign for lower speed limits (www.love30.ie) We campaign for 30 km/h speed limits in residential areas, in town and village centres, and in the vicinity of schools and places of public assembly.

I append, for your information, copies of correspondence with your predecessor, Minister Shane Ross, in which we asked him to use his powers under S. 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 to introduce a 30 km/h speed limit on all urban roads.

As you will be aware the number of pedestrian and cyclist deaths on our roads increased last year despite huge reductions in the volumes of traffic during Covid restrictions. As we face into another extended period of Covid restrictions, there has again been a surge in the number of people walking and cycling within their 5 km limit. Once again, it seems that the reduction in the volume of motor traffic is resulting in higher speeds which we fear will inevitably lead to more deaths and injuries.

As we pointed out in our letter to Minister Ross, Ireland was a signatory to the Stockholm Declaration, which mandates in Resolution #11 ‘a maximum road travel speed of 30 km/h in areas where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix in a frequent and planned manner’. This Declaration has since been mandated by the UN General Assembly.

We call on you, as Minister for Transport, to act decisively and to use the powers available to you under Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 to introduce 30 km/h speed limits on all roads in built up areas, and in the vicinity of all schools.

Yours sincerely,

Mairéad Forsythe Love 30 Campaign for Lower Speed Limits