More enforcement needed to drive down speed
More enforcement needed to drive down speed - The Labour Party
Labour’s transport spokesperson Ciaran Ahern TD has called for increased road traffic enforcement in light of figures showing a 23% increase in motorists caught speeding on the previous year.
Deputy Ahern said:
“We need to hear a plan for Government to address rising road offences. We know speeding and mobile phone use are real challenges on our roads which are leading to road deaths, accidents and dangerous driving.
“Seeing Gardaí on the roads goes a long way to motorists slowing down and heeding the rules of the road. Unfortunately we know that there are almost 400 Gardaí fewer on the roads than there were in 2009. If we are serious about seeing the trends going in the right direction, then Government must commit to strong recruitment and retention policies across An Garda Síochana.
“Ireland is now one of the few European countries where road deaths are increasing, despite an official target to halve fatalities by 2030. The Government’s own Road Safety Strategy is not being delivered. The Crowe Report on roads policing was clear about the need for stronger enforcement, yet action has stalled.
“Labour is calling for immediate action: a significant increase in roads policing and enforcement, full implementation of modern detection technologies like speed cameras and traffic light cameras, national oversight of known collision black spots, and the urgent reform of the Road Safety Authority so it has the powers and accountability to actually make our roads safer. Commuters, families and road users deserve a system that protects them. This Government must act now.”