Reduce speed limit in villages to 30km/h, says local election candidate

A local election candidate has called for the introduction of a 30km/h speed limit in towns and villages.

Sinn Féin's Maureen Pigott, who will be running in the Kinnegad Electoral Area in this summer's local elections, says that after hearing people's stories while on the campaign trail about motorists speeding through Castlepollard and Multyfarnham, she wants to see the limit reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h.

“After attending meetings with Castlepollard Local Development and canvassing in Multyfarnham there is one thing being brought to my attention by my constituents time and time again, and that’s the problem with speeding in our towns and villages.

“In Multyfarnham, one women even told me she fears the worst, which is that 'nothing will be done until a pedestrian is killed just like in Sallins' .

“Another person told us their child had already been clipped by a car, another pointed out the fact that there’s no Zebra crossings in the village.

“The same song is sang in Castlepollard about dangerous speeding, the lack of ramps near school and an absence of appropriate footpaths and zebra crossings.”

Ms Pigott is holding a petition signing in Multyfarnham Community Centre at 5pm today (Tuesday) and has also started a petition in Castlepollard. These petitions calling for the reduction of the speed limit to 30km/h will be submitted to Westmeath County Council.

She says that the public's concerns must be listened to.

“It’s not much to ask to reduce the speed in our rural towns and villages to 30km especially when there’s no appropriate paving, crossings or ramps to slow people down.”