No green light yet for Cork and Limerick red light or bus lane cameras

— Strategy for cameras to enforce speeding, red light running, and bus lanes expected “in the coming months”.
— Still only “one or two locations” in Dubin expected to get red light or bus lane cameras ahead of national strategy.

It was reported that “Cork and Limerick to introduce red-light cameras following successful Dublin rollout” but the Department of Transport has rubbished the claim.

The Irish Daily Mail, including on its extra.ie website, reported that “Cork and Limerick are set to be the next cities to introduce Red Light Cameras and automatic fines after a successful trial in parts of Dublin’s City Centre.”

However, few see the saga of delays in rolling out red light cameras as a “successful Dublin rollout.” The system was left idle for years and needed to be replaced before the cameras were up and running again.

Nearly a year ago and ahead of recent reports, IrishCycle.com was the first to report that a small-scale rollout of new red light cameras in Dublin is expected to happen this year. Officials maintain that anything beyond that will only be in place after a national strategy is in place.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said: “Transport Infrastructure Ireland has not been assigned any responsibility in relation to the deployment of traffic management cameras in Cork or Limerick.”

“Any future rollout of such cameras will be informed and guided by the national strategy and planned interim arrangements in Dublin. At this time, the Department of Transport is not aware of any plans to install similar cameras in Cork or Limerick, though the relevant local authority may have developed its own plans in this regard,” the spokesperson said.

A Limerick City and County Council spokesperson said that the council “have not been notified of inclusion in any scheme for Limerick as of yet.” Cork City Council was also asked about this but has yet to respond.

The Department of Transport said that Transport Infrastructure Ireland was appointed last year to “lead the development of the first national safety camera strategy”. This is an overall strategy and not an implementation plan.

A spokesperson said it is “anticipated that a draft strategy will be finalised in the coming months.”

The Department said that the focus at first will be on enforcing speeding, red light running, and bus lanes, but the “strategy will be flexible to accommodate further offences over times, such as mobile phone use and non-wearing of seatbelts.”

“Once this strategy is in place, it will provide the framework for increased deployment of cameras across the network, in both urban and rural locations, to assist with the enforcement of a wide range of road traffic offences,” the spokesperson said.

The Department spokesperson added: “Pending the finalisation of the strategy, using powers under Section 81(7) of the Road Traffic Act 2010, the National Transport Authority intend to collaborate with An Garda Síochána and Dublin City Council on the deployment of traffic management cameras within Dublin. Procurement exercises will be required for both cameras and a system operator, with the intention that one or two locations will be operational this year as part of an interim arrangement.”

1 thought on “No green light yet for Cork and Limerick red light or bus lane cameras”

  1. Bus eireann already are testing a parking enforcent camera system in limerick on the dashs of buses if succesful will be rolled out nationwide it sends info on vehicles blocking bus stops direct to gardai for fines

    Reply

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