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Updated at midday
THE COUNTY’S FIRST automated red light camera is being officially launched this morning – but the system has already been in operation for the last number of weeks, capturing some worrying driver behaviour at one of the worst sites in Dublin for crashes between cars and Luas trams.
The system has been set up at the junction of Blackhall Place and Benburb Street in the city, along the Luas Red Line.
Photos released by the Railway Procurement Agency show motorists accelerating through red lights, and across the tram tracks up to 25 seconds after the signals have changed.
One of the images shows a very near miss between a tram and a saloon car (above). While others show taxi drivers not willing to wait the few seconds for the lights to change…
The RPA also sent us this collision footage from a Luas-mounted camera…
Captured on the approach to Queen Street, just a block from the site of the new camera, it shows the tram being forced to stop, after a black car breaks the traffic signal and drives straight into the course of the oncoming Luas.
The new initiative will see drivers who break the red light at the location automatically receiving three penalty points.
According to the Department of Transport:
“An Garda Siochána’s PULSE system is now linked to the new red light cameras at this junction, automating the process of issuing fixed charge notices for this particularly dangerous road traffic offence.
“Breaking red lights incurs 3 penalty points and a fine of up to €120 on payment of the fixed charge.
This technology may be applied to other junctions in Dublin, and in other parts of the country, where motorists breaking red lights is particularly problematic.
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All Dublin Bus vehicles are equipped with forward looking HD cameras which frequently capture all sorts of dangerous and illegal road behavior.
In London, footage from Bus cams is used to fine these drivers so every Bus has become a mobile traffic cam at no extra cost. A simple step that resulted in a massive decrease of bad driving.
that’s ridiculous driving
ake this route every morning im not surprised by the least really hope this gets these impatient tw@ts to cop on and have some respect on the road,these guys just give me more reason to take train,to these drivers and cyclists i say patience is not just a virtue but life saving on road. Please be safe all loose your aggression especially during early hours.
the best way to drive around ireland is to drive like everyone is trying to kill you and cyclists are trying to kill themselves.
Put red light cameras like the states, run a red get a fine it’s that simple
What about something to monitor the atrocious driving of many Dublin Bus vehicles themselves?
Off point here but does anyone know how far “just a block” is?
They are rare in the states. Lived there 15 years and really never heard anything about them.
To be fair, BMW always has right of way. Luas should have known it was inferior and stopped to give way.
I bow every time a beamer passes me.
Sorry but BMW drivers tend to have borderline IQs
Only one thing worse than a bmw driver is a bmw driver with yellow reg on the back. Speed limits do not apply to them whatsoever.
Audi drivers?
Aldi drivers take up two spaces in car parks, because they’re audis..
Oops, Audi drivers – I don’t think Aldi sell cars!
yet
But if aldi did sell cars they would probably be…..
20% off on Thursday.
Superior German technology, but cheaper..
Shanty, Most German people are good people. Wake up sister.
Where did I say they weren’t? And it’s Shanti by the way.
Two taxis and a BMW… Proof of what we all knew anyway.
& a Golf – BMW driver training.
I was thinking the same thing… :-)
A friend witnessed a cyclist break a red light, get nearly knocked over by a motorbike. The cyclist response was to give the motorbike rider the finger. Hopefully we can catch these cyclists too. Take their bikes away from them if they break a red light.
What’s worse is their decked out as if they were riding the Tour De France.. Eejits
Yeah they’re a menace on the streets the same cyclists!
The ones dressed for the Giro or Tour De France tend to be bigger rule breakers i notice.
Don’t be codding yerselves, everyone breaks the rules. Those cyclists also probably have cars and walk. Everyone is as bad, and everyone has a reason. People have little manners on the road, however they use it.
Interesting that people are really happy to hear a story from a friend of a witness and assume that it is completely true.
Anybody saying they obey all the rules of the road are lying. If you actually looked on your way you would notice. Most people completely ignore cars parked on the path as an offence.
This article is about atrocious motor driving. Nothing to do whatsoever with cyclists.
But sure a day wouldn’t be the same without a story being hijacked by the hysterical anti cycling brigade. Red lights, paths, two fingers yawning stuff.
Ruth, the article is actually about people (road users) breaking red lights and how dangerous it is, motorists are just the example as that is how the camera is set up, a cycle camera would show the same thing except it would be cyclists in all the frames.
Both sides all know we do it, it’s just hard for people to admit to and is one of the many reasons we have problems on the roads.
It’s not them against us people, we all have to use the same tarmac, let’s just do it together.
The article is specifically about MOTORISTS breaking the red lights at a junction which now has an ANPR camera installed.
So what’s the difference between a “cycle camera” as you put it, and a normal camera which covers the entire junction as per the article??
The problem is ALL road users, or are you just one of those in denial, maybe it will have to take a dead cyclist before your happy but then you’ll probably still blame someone else.
And a cyclist camera would obviously have a different activation sensor and location and if one was set up just for education purposes it would certainly be an eye opener to a lot of people.
But, the article specifies motorist, unless you’re reading a different one than me?
Not sure what you’re on about with regards to a bicyclist camera?
The camera is activated by the light not the traffic. It will take pictures of the junction while the light is red.
What people like to ignore about cyclists breaking lights is it is rarely a risk at all as they don’t want to die. Most cyclists go through red lights when they feel it is safe due to no traffic or merging in to traffic with no ill effects. Drivers moan about it because of frustration not actual danger caused.
I am not approving of the behaviour but the danger is being overblown.
Got to love the cyclist hate. Think about it this way, almost all of them are one less car in your way. I’d like to see the rules for overtaking cyclists enforced properly. Leave 1 meter of space. It’s not that tough. We’re trying to get somewhere in one piece, just like you.
Sure every one knows real men ride women anyway!!
There was a comment on here before about cyclists breaking the rules which pointed out that a cyclist (circa 80 kg) on a bike (circa 50 kg) travelling at a moderate speed (circa 10 km/h or 2.78 m/s; approximately double walking speed) would have sufficient momentum (361.4 N s) to kill a child or elderly person. That is a danger to other road users and shows that cycling on footpaths or breaking lights does pose a risk. It is not being overstated
I’d love it if cyclists left at least 1m between me and them as they cycle far too fast past me on the footpath.
Get your facts straight, a bicycle weighs around 10kg! Not 50kg!
Or maybe you were referring to circa say…. a light moped??
a 50kg bicycle? good luck getting that out of the shed. But yes, cycling on the footpath is stupid. The only time I use it with my bike is if I’m walking to a pedestrian crossing so I can cross to the side of the road my cycle lane has moved to without cutting across two lanes of traffic
Hahaha a bike is nowhere near 50 kg..,
Jayo
I don’t get how what I said was so misleading. I didn’t deny it was dangerous just it is rarely so. If it wasn’t rare there would be news reports every week about cyclists killing pedestrians and causing accidents. With things as is cyclist fatalities are generally caused by motorists. The majority of all road accidents are down as driver faults.
I am only aware of one fatality from a cyclists hitting a pedestrian in the last 20 years. So very overblown danger.
It is also 1.5 metres a car should leave between a cyclist when overtaking. Failure to do this has killed people. That is not overblowing the danger.
Just this morning a car sped up to over take me coming to a red and then swerved in front of me and was stuck in two lanes. A lot less than a metre space was given. That is dangerous driving
ah well ,if only fatalities are important, I suppose we can just ignore the others who were only injured …
About bloody time!!! Idiots!!!! Should get more then 3 points. A nice little hefty fine too…rant over…
No amount of exclamation marks can quantify how much I agree with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!
If you break a red light, that was red for longer than 1 second, in Germany, on top of your fine and the penalty point you become a pedestrian for a month, as the DMV takes your license off you for 4 weeks, would be nice to see similar penalties over here, it’d stop quite a few bad drivers.
Article said 120 euro fine
In Germany you can also lose your licence for traffic violations on your bicycle. A friend of mine was put off the road for a year, ordered to stay off alcohol for a year and had to undergo tests to prove he hadn’t had a drink. On top of that he got a huge fine and I think had to resit his test all because he was caught cycling over the limit.
cycling after drink is ridiculously stupid
Police state. Big brother watching everything
And it can cost serious money to get it back. Plus you have to do a test. Breaking red in Germany is a no no.
You can also lose your license for non traffic violations. If you’re caught with drugs anywhere. Even a joint in the park, they’ll swipe yr license.
The fine is initially €80 which if left unpaid goes to €120 after 28 days, there’s a court summons if unpaid after another 28 days.
Would hate to be passenger of one of those taxi’s.. No regard for public safety yet they are our means of public transport ??? Disgraceful driving from them ….
I was once in Dublin, ask him to pull over and let me out. Wasn’t paying either….. They think they own the roads.
i can promise you joe that the 2 taxis were empty, they are reckless and speed looking for fairs, then they seem to enjoy slowing to catch a red light once your in the car :)
Lol only the once in Dublin
Agree Darren haha… Well said …
In any event the public are in danger … Shocking …
They might get a fare a fair.
There isn’t a taxi driver in Dublin that wouldn’t be happy to sit at a red light for 5 minutes if there was a customer on board.
I live in the area and I’ve seen a few near misses at this junction and the next one along the line at Queen St. The real problem is the sequencing of the lights which can lead to cars being stuck for two or more cycles of quite slow lights at the quays because the lights at the luas line go red as the quays go green. Frustrated drivers sometimes take a chance. That said I’ve always been surprised we don’t have red-light cameras – they’ve had them in Australia for over 20 years.
Yep, is no excuse and I’m not condoning…but drivers left at red lights for ages when nothing is passing in front of em will contribute to rash decisions.
Yes, punish drivers who break the red but also please put some attention into making the light changes more efficient.
With the exception of a gardas instructions there is no excuse to go through a red light
Although in saying that a lady friend of mine stopped at a red at Dolphins Barn many years ago at midnight noticed in her side view mirror a group of teens approaching her car. Checking the road was clear in both directions had no choice but to break the lights. After reporting to the Gardai they told her she was absolutely right in water she had done.
Did she drive into the canal?
I know Dublin has changed a lot but I don’t think the canal goes down to Dolphins Barn-Rialto junction.
Super comment, made
me smile
Respnse from Buckwheat to Shawn “she was absolutely right in water she had done”
Cue: “cars vs bicycles vs Luas vs HGV’s vs pedestrians”. Directed by Michael Bay.
I’d prefer Luc Besson directing
We’d all prefer Luc Besson, but it’s playing to the masses. People actually watch those Transformers movies. Lots of people. Who knows why.
Looks like the taxi in the first pic is breaking the lights to sit behind a line of cars waiting at the next set onto the quays.Professional drivers *roll eyes*
Lots Taxi violation
Sure some don’t even have the driving qualifications to own a taxi thanks to the regulator not doing their job
Break a red light and you hit something just go straight to jail for a month, no fines, no penalty points. Soon sorted.
At what cost to the state? How about 3 months of community service that would actually benefit the country
Punishment should be filling potholes properly around the country.
This way, we’ll save on prison expenses and road repair expenses.
Break a red light, get a purple nurple, a chinese burn, a wet willy, a noogie AND a wedgie. That would sort it out. Nobody likes wedgies.
They should put cow catchers on the front of the Luas and just keep plowing on.
That just made my day!
More of this! Next bring in roundabout cameras and if you’re using the wrong indicator, a gorilla pops up out of the roundabout and chases you, kicks the sh*t out of you and then demonstrates which indicator you should be using. A small tip…if the indicator doesn’t switch off after you’ve completed the turn, you’re more than likely using the wrong one.
another little tip…you never exit a roundabout with your right indicator on…. hopefully that clears this up for the about 40% of drivers I’ve noticed using the wrong indicator.
I know I’ve been off the road for a while now, but I hadn’t realised people had actually started using indicators on roundabouts now, God has it been that long?
I’d like to see people use their indicators. Not at any specific time, just when they’re supposed to.
A lot of drivers don’t even know where the indicators are, they should get 6 points and double fine.
Lets not act like we did not know that tons of drivers here are breaking the red, what we probably did not want to admit that such behaviour on the roads costs us lifes and vehicles.
I dont own a car and believe me I have seen so many times drivers breaking the red light under the slogan – “Come on it will be grand”. This slogan does not remind you anything?
Irish drivers are amongst the worst I’ve encountered anywhere. They regularly run red lights and unless the Gardai stop turning a blind eye to poor driving habits the nothing will change…
What is strange about this new automatic camera is there has been a Garda in place during rush hours all this week. 2 of them standing there this morning. Are they keeping an eye on the camera? Their presence stops people breaking the lights
If they put this type of camera capture and automatic fine on a few other junctions around town, they’d be minted. Junction of Wexford St and Kevin St/Cuffe St comes to mind. Lethal.
Sure we now taxi drivers own the roads and they do what they want!!
They need to put a couple in Cork
This is obviously just a scam to generate revenue from poor innocent motorists who doing nothing wrong, they are just standing up to the interfering nanny-state busybodies in their ivory towers who are trying to dictate everything in their lives down to the colour of the traffic lights they drive through.
Drivers shouldn’t be treated like idiots and talked down to, they are intelligent enough to know that it is the responsibility of everyone else on the road to dodge them. These Luas guys act like they own the tram tracks.
Taxis breaking red lights?? Must be fake pictures.
While welcomed to avoid death…€30,000 per light system and €30,000 annual maintenance!! Wha??…
Might be worth finding out who got the contract?.
Why can these people even afford big cars if they can’t afford driving lessons? They property got their license from a lucky bag
You think that is bad I saw a hooded man in total black jogging gear with hood up at 10:45 tonight and he was walking the road without any light or reflective gear on him and this road is in the countryside… How dangerous is that?
If there was a media campaign to highlight the camera at this junction people who were aware of it would stop at the lights because they know the camera would catch them.
Shouldnt have to be, people know what Red light means.
Not in this case seemingly .
Perhaps we could go one step further than a camera and deploy a ranger sniper team atop the adjacent buildings with a Barrett 50 cal sniper rifle loaded armour piercing ammo, any transgressors would have their engine shot out .
Yeah, but the only problem with that is there would be about twenty dead vehicles blocking the road in about five minutes
True but they wouldn’t be breaking any red lights for a while and tow truck employment would soar .
Not the first such camera. There’s been one at Johns road/ south circular road junction for years
The date on the video is 2014, the article suggests this camera has been up & running “for the past couple”. They might want to look at fixing that before they attempt making any prosecutions using this footage.
*of weeks* #doh
A garda on the radio said this camera has been operating there on a trial basis since some time last year.
Have to say the traffic light is tiny took me a while to see it what’s with Ireland and its tiny traffic light
Finally we are catching up on what other countries have had for years .
Dolphins Barn junction needs one of those red light cameras someone will be killed on that junction the amount of drivers who break the lights there is shocking
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