As speed limits reduce across rural roads today (Friday, February 7), Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has said it will cause "chaos" for rural road users and businesses in small towns and villages.

The speed limits have reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h for roads marked with the letter ‘L’ on maps, as part of the government's new campaign: ‘Slower Speeds, Safer Roads’.

The changes are part of Ireland’s Government Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030, which has the primary aim of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries. Future implementation phases will focus on urban areas and national secondary roads.

Deputy Nolan described the new measures as "a blanket approach" and repeatedly called on the government to defer the changes prior to introduction.

"I'm all for safety and saving lives but I'm for pragmatism as well, and what I'm hearing from constituencies is that this will cause chaos," the deputy said.

Deputy Nolan told Agriland that bus drivers, delivery drivers and haulage companies are "very concerned" about the issues that will arise from these changes.

She said that there are some smaller roads in Ireland which are suitable for an 80km/h speed limit, while others could be changed for safety, but not through what she described as the government's "one size fits all" approach.

The deputy said a "sensible approach" would be to enforce existing speed limits further on all roads, and then carry out a review annually to look at dangerous roads in collaboration with local authorities.

Deputy Nolan said she is also concerned that many rural areas will be "hit economically" because the "distance is so much longer now that people have to travel", and they may be less inclined to stop and spend time in local towns and villages.

Speeding, drink and drug driving, along with mobile phone use are some of the main issues that cause daily accidents on Irish roads.

Provisional road traffic collision figures shows that 174 people died in 160 fatal collisions in 2024, according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

They figures reveal a high proportion of male fatalities, a continuation of 2023’s increased level of young fatalities (aged 25 years or less), and a high number of fatalities in the evening between 4:00p.m and 8:00p.m.

Deputy Nolan acknowledged that there is a need for change and said there are "long-standing" issues with speeding for traffic coming in to local villages and towns, which needs to be addressed.

"Why not resource the local authorities and fund them to a greater extent so that they can put more safety measures within those local villages and towns?

"Maybe create more awareness and have more penalties and even cameras if needs be going into those villages and towns because that is an issue," Deputy Nolan said.

She added that there is a need to increase the numbers of gardaí policing road safety and to create heightened awareness to reduce incidents.