Garda chief backs proposal for fixed speed cameras in Galway City
Galway’s top Garda has expressed support for permanent cameras to be erected in the city to nab speeding motorists.
The proposal for key routes will be discussed by Galway City Council.
At a meeting of the City Joint Policing Committee (JPC), Chief Superintendent Tom Curley said that fixed cameras and ‘dummy boxes’ are the way forward.
He told the meeting that there were 3,151 speeding offences recorded in Galway City last year, down 58% from 7,440 in 2015.
Cycling activist and JPC member Simon Comer pointed out that tens of thousands of speeding instances are being captured by the City Council’s speed ‘feedback’ signs, which have been erected around the city over the past 18 months.
He said that over a 10-day period last August, the inbound radar sign on Taylor’s Hill recorded 4,448 instances of speed over 55km/h.
“That’s a narrow road used by children,” he said.
He said on one side of the Western Distributor Road, a radar sign detected 12,900 vehicles travelling in excess of 64km/h.
Outside Bushypark Church last August, 17,210 vehicles were recorded travelling in excess of 66km/h, while in the space of one month on Siobhan McKenna Road, 17,458 vehicles travelled more than 54km/h. That sign also recorded one vehicle travelling at 130km/h.
Mr Comer said: “They show the actual amount of speeding compared to detections is enormous.”
He asked if the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure SPC (Strategic Policy Committee) could make a recommendation that fixed cameras be installed on key routes.
“That’s what’s needed to deal with the scale of the problem,” he said.
Chief Supt Curley replied: “I agree. Fixed cameras are an essential tool in enforcement and detection. I think it’s the way forward. Dummy boxes in the UK, where you don’t know if there is a camera or not, have also been a success.”
He said the Garda Commissioner has instructed there be an increase in the detection of traffic offences, particularly speeding, not wearing seatbelts and use of mobile phones.
Three probationary Gardaí have joined Galway’s traffic unit for a 10-week period.
The committee meeting also heard that last year, there were 253 instances detected of driving without insurance, down 7% from 271 in 2015.