Darragh's Soapbox: Do you agree with new speed limits?

Speed limits on Waterford's rural local roads have officially been reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h.

A number of locals across the city were asked about the change this week.

Aaron Malone believes that rural country roads should be subject to decreased speed limits, however straight, main roads should be increased.

“I think they are addressing problems that don’t exist,” he said. "We have some of the lowest fatalities per capita in Europe on roads, and it's because the roads here are actually pretty good.

"All this is going to do is create more accidents, because you’ll have people now getting annoyed and overtaking when they shouldn’t be.

“On main roads, realistically I think we should actually be putting speed limits up. Any major, straight roads should be put up from 80 to 100, and any roads at 100 should rise to 120, especially nowadays where most cars have automatic braking and are a lot safer."

Local man Willie  Hearne said that other measures need to be introduced to make roads safer.

“I don’t agree with the limits coming down. I think we need more cameras on the roads and let the speed limit alone, because the people who will go over the speed limit now will still go over it when the new changes come in. It won’t make any difference."

He added: “I also don’t agree with people flashing their headlights to inform oncoming traffic that there is a speed van on the road. People think they're helping someone not get a fine, but they don’t realize that it could be one of their family members killed the next day on the road by someone speeding."

Others suggested that roads in close proximity to schools should be lowered.

Mairead Meaney said: “I think roads at schools should be dropped more and there should be no parking near schools. It is ridiculous outside schools at the moment.”