The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, James Lawless, has approved an update to the Traffic Signs Manual.
One of the reasons for the update was to “support the release of the recently published Cycle Design Manual and BusConnects programme.” However, as IrishCycle.com reported in September, the legal changes underpinning the Cycle Design Manual will not be fully implemented until Q1 2025 at the earliest.
The new changes include a sign (sign C 100 and plate P 065) for the newly formalised “stay left to turn right” cycle lane layout. The layout, also referred to as a box turn or a two-stage turn, has started to be rolled out, as this website reported recently.
The sign for use in Ireland will have a white background, and unlike signs used elsewhere (two examples below), an outline of a junction is not provided in the Irish sign. Notably, the localised version of the sign also does not indicate which direction the turn is for.
The update to the manual also includes a new combined walking and cycling crossing warning sign (Sign W 146) for use ahead of unsignaled shared crossings, such as those along greenways.
The Department of Transport said that the update to the manual and the associated circular constitutes a legal direction by the Minister under the Road Traffic Act 1961.
With the Traffic Signs Manual and in traffic law generally, the term ‘traffic signs’ includes upright signs on posts, road markings, traffic signals, temporary signs, gantry signs, variable message signs, hazard marker posts and bollards.
The Department said that the update will also support the revised default speed limits following the 2023 speed limit review, the future roll-out of new variable speed limits on designated national roads, and the use of electronic speed signs and revised lane control signals.
It also includes what the Department calls “routine updates, standardisation and formatting of the Manual” and the update “forms part of a wider and ongoing sequence of planned updates to accommodate changes in support of road safety and new infrastructure.”
The Department of Transport, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the National Transport Authority developed the updates.
The Department said that this update also supports recent updates to the Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997 (as amended) or the Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations 2024, while “Subsequent updates to the Manual that will require regulation amendments are intended to be considered separately. “
Nearly all the chapters of the manual have been updated and can be found at trafficsigns.ie.
This is a welcome development i can see the reason for white background as blue is more for bus lanes and motorways . I just hope it doesent mean a huge increase in poles and clutter along the new fairview route as every junction will need the new shared space signs and turn left bus lane signs