‘Usually two or three repeat offenders’ speeding through Tipperary villages says councillor

Concerns over speeding, dangerous road layouts and the deteriorating condition of local routes dominated discussion at the April meeting of the Nenagh Municipal District, with councillors warning that safety risks are continuing to rise across the area.

A central issue raised was the persistent problem of vehicles travelling at excessive speeds through rural villages, described by members as a widespread and ongoing concern across the district. Independent councillor Joe Hannigan said the issue had been raised repeatedly by councillors and called for a more proactive response focused on education and awareness.

“I think everyone here has mentioned it at one point or another, but speeding through the villages, is there any means by which we could maybe educate people that there’s speed limits in these villages?” he asked.

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Cllr Hannigan suggested that a targeted campaign, potentially involving temporary signage at village approaches, could help prompt drivers to slow down. He argued that public representatives themselves have a role to play in driving such an initiative, rather than relying solely on engineering solutions.

Highlighting conditions in Lorrha village, Cllr Michael O’Meara said cars are “speeding up through the village”, particularly near the school, where there are currently no formal traffic calming measures in place. He warned that this behaviour poses a clear risk to pedestrians and children.

Expanding on the issue, Cllr O’Meara said those responsible are often not occasional offenders, but repeat drivers who regularly travel through the same areas at speed.

“You’d be surprised who’s speeding through the villages, it’s usually two or three repeat offenders,” he said.
He added that while the majority of motorists comply with speed limits, a small number consistently drive too fast. “95pc of the people are fine, but if a person is driving up a village at excessive speed, they’re going to do it all the time,” he said, suggesting that direct engagement and awareness could help change behaviour.

Cllr O’Meara also challenged assumptions about who is responsible, noting that speeding is not confined to younger drivers. He recalled witnessing “a person… at least as old as me” travelling at speed through Lorrha, reinforcing the view that the issue cuts across age groups.

Concerns around road design and visibility were also raised by several councillors. Cllr Fiona Bonfield described a recent near-miss incident on the R503 where roadworks are currently ongoing. She said she was driving on the road recently when the vehicle in front of her was forced to brake suddenly after rounding a bend due to the sudden appearance of traffic lights that were not visible until after rounding the bend, creating what she said could easily have resulted in a collision. She pointed to poor alignment on the road and restricted sightlines on the road which have now been made worse by roadwork measures.

Several specific locations were highlighted during the meeting. A section of the R498, known as the ‘Latteragh bends’ was also described as an area generating a high volume of public representations, with works ongoing resulting in several issues on the road.

Safety concerns were also expressed in relation to an informal bus stop at the tesco roundabout in Nenagh by Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh. Cllr Morgan Walsh has raised this area and concern at several meetings prior to this most recent call and has described it as “extremely dangerous” due to its position on a hill with limited visibility for approaching traffic.

Overall, the discussion reflected a strong level of concern among elected members about road safety across the district. While engineering solutions such as traffic calming, improved signage and road realignment were acknowledged as part of the response, there was broad agreement that these measures alone will not be enough. Members stressed that greater emphasis on public awareness, targeted campaigns and changing driver behaviour will be essential if the issue of speeding through rural communities is to be effectively addressed.

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