Motorists speeding through roadworks on M7 warned to slow down

Speed detection vans will continue to be deployed on the M7 motorway in Co Kildare in a bid to get motorists to slow down during a major road widening project, gardaí have said.

A reduced, 60 km/h speed limit has been in place since late 2017 to facilitate a major, two-year upgrade of the motorway which includes widening the road from a dual to a triple carriageway over a distance of 14 kilometres, between junction 8 Naas north and junction 11 Newbridge.

The construction, which is expected to last two years began in January 2018. However, almost immediately gardaí recorded motorists ignoring the lower limit. In one case gardaí arrested an individual for driving at 141 km/h in the new zone .

Two GoSafe speed detection vans have been deployed on the route, but despite more then 500 cases of penalty points being issued between January and mid- November, motorists continue to speed, according to gardaí.

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Gardaí said it would continue to deploy two GoSafe Vans on this route to further enhance enforcement activity by local garda roads policing units while works continue.

This week gardaí have stepped up efforts in a bid to get motorists to slow down. An augmented traffic management and enforcement operation began on Monday morning and by evening more then 100 motorists were caught speeding through the roadworks.

Superintendent Declan McCarthy said it was “very disappointing that so many motorists have been detected breaking the limit on the first day of this augmented speed enforcement campaign”.

He thanked “all of those who have heeded our warnings in advance of this latest operation” and said its aim was “to keep motorists and construction staff safe while works continue and keep traffic moving and prevent unnecessary delays on the route.’

Apart from widening the route the roadworks will also include construction of a new interchange at Osberstown between junctions 9 and 10 which will be designated junction 9a. This junction requires a number of new off and on ramps, while the junction itself will link to a new bypass of Sallins.