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Speed cameras in Port Tunnel catching 250 drivers on a monthly basis

The average speed cameras at the tunnel came into force in May.

speed cameras Speed cameras at the Dublin Port Tunnel are detecting an average of 250 drivers speeding every month. Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

SPEED CAMERAS IN the Dublin Port Tunnel are catching an average of 250 drivers per month breaking the speed limit.

The new speed cameras, which calculate motorists’ speed based on the time it takes them to travel through it, went live at the end of May.

The cameras records the time motorists enter the tunnel and when they leave it, calculating the average speed taken by the motorist to travel the distance.

The speed limit in the tunnel is 80km/h, meaning that if motorists complete the 4.8km tunnel in faster than 3 minutes 36 seconds, they have broken the speed limit and will receive a fixed charge fine from the gardaí.

tunnel The average speed cameras came into force in May. Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

Garda Chief Superintendent of the Roads Policy Bureau Aidan Reid said the new speed cameras are detecting, on average, 250 drivers every month, and the numbers are rising.

“That is a significant number. So people haven’t been heeding the message that has been well advertised. We would say there are speed cameras, it is a high risk tunnel and we would ask people to obey the speed limit,” he told reporters at the launch of the August bank holiday road safety campaign yesterday.

Those caught speeding are issued with a fixed charge penalty, which is an €80 fine and three penalty points on your licence, increasing to five penalty points and an increased fine if convicted in court.

Read: Drivers caught for minor road offences will now face a drink driving breath test>

Read; ‘It’s an insult to my little boy’: Families who lost loved ones to drunk-drivers slam politicians opposing new law>

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46 Comments
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    Mute John Scott
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    Aug 6th 2017, 7:36 AM

    How many people have been killed in the Tunnel? This could be seen as a money printer.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:05 AM

    @John Scott:

    It is preventative and It is only going to generate money from the idiots that speed in the tunnel.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:14 AM

    @John Scott: Don’t speed and you won’t pay. Simple

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Aug 6th 2017, 9:32 AM

    @John Scott: How many people have to die then for this to be justified in your book? 10? 20?

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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:00 AM

    @John Scott: nobody yet. I use it a lot and I’m very happy they’re catching a few of these idiots.

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    Mute Dave Phelan
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    Aug 6th 2017, 7:38 AM

    Any splits between Northern and Southern licence plates?

    86
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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:01 AM

    @Dave Phelan: I noticed that too. UK plates driving like maniacs. In a tunnel with lots of fuel tankers in it.

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    Mute Pj Windgap
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    Aug 6th 2017, 7:38 AM

    Delighted. Hope they install them on the N7 between Naas and newlands cross.

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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:41 AM

    @Pj Windgap: yes, that 3 lane practically a motorway is as lethal as a tunnel.

    42
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    Mute Peter
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:28 AM

    @Pj Windgap: I think it’s planned. It’s odd with that section of road not having cats eyes.

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    Mute Deirdre D'Arcy Murphy
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:49 AM

    @Peter: some of need to get to work and stick to the 100 km limit but there are the slow joes who stay in the fast lane doing 40 km / hr and not allowing people to pass . It’s not all it seems .

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 12:49 PM

    @Deirdre D’Arcy Murphy: it is exactly as it seems the speed limit is 80 in the tunnel and people go over the speed limit. It isn’t and average speed limit on your journey

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    Mute Deirdre D'Arcy Murphy
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    Aug 6th 2017, 1:23 PM

    @Kal Ipers: I’m talking about the N7 darling

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    Mute Minom Pnom
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    Aug 6th 2017, 9:35 AM

    Big fluting deal. Is that all the nyards do – speed cameras ? How about some news how they are cracking down on muggings, house burglaries, car breakins etc. Things that actually happen as crimes.

    42
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 12:51 PM

    @Minom Pnom: How many people die on our roads versus those killed in mugging? What is the main factor in all road deaths?

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    Mute Minom Pnom
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    Aug 6th 2017, 1:04 PM

    @Kal Ipers: Any road deaths in the port tunnel? Just a cash machine.

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 1:11 PM

    @Minom Pnom: they people that speed in the tunnel will speed elsewhere and are a danger to be removed from the roads

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Aug 6th 2017, 1:43 PM

    @Kal Ipers: If the speed limit in the tunnel was brought down to 10kmh you would still have people on here calling those doing 11kmh idiots. Just curious but what type of collision would speeding cause in the tunnel?

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 2:24 PM

    @Shawn Rahoon: Are you really so stupid you don’t know the extra danger of a collision in the tunnel?

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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Aug 6th 2017, 3:20 PM

    @Kal Ipers: I’ve noticed that whenever your asked a question you always come back with that idiotic answer. Just try and make sensible answer. Remove people from the roads if they go 1kmh over the limit. So every motorist who drives at 31kmh along the Quays at 6am on a Sunday morning should be taken off the road? Who is the stupid one?

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    Mute Cindy Crawford
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:54 AM

    Handy revenue.

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    Mute Shane Cormican
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    Aug 6th 2017, 9:27 AM

    @Cindy Crawford: if they are paying it- I don’t think we have an agreement with Northern Ireland on speeding fines

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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:03 AM

    @Cindy Crawford: it’s not about revenue. It’s about preventing a serious accident.

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    Mute Zx5vZulB
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    Aug 6th 2017, 9:38 AM

    One mate got caught driving into work and driving home on a sunday, 2 letters in the post arrived, each declaring fine and 3,points. He was approx 10 k over the limit, kinda hard done by i reckon. Hes too thick to understand the different methodology used to calculate the speed as he works in the central bank. Its more of a punishment of ignorance than dangerous driving.

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    Mute Donal Carey
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:03 AM

    @Zx5vZulB: 80 the speed limit will only be fined if over 88 a few months back I had to pass a car on a main road that was doing 60 I put my foot down just to get passed him quick and went up to 89 and they nailed me their should be room to appeal without facing the court .

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    Mute Peter
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:33 AM

    @Donal Carey: You can appeal to the superintendent in the area you’ve allegedly been speeding in. He can strike it out or tell you to pay it or let it go to court.

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 12:54 PM

    @Donal Carey: So you broke the speed limit and you were fined? You are in control of your car and if you get frustrated and ignore the rules you are a danger on the road.

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    Mute John Dman
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    Aug 6th 2017, 5:13 PM

    @Peter: certainly worked for Paul Williams and hes boss at INM independent newspapers steven rae, who used to be editor of the garda review magazine ! There buddies in the guards wiped all there penalty points.

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    Mute Muiris O'Daltuin
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    Aug 6th 2017, 9:40 AM

    I’d drive the first section at 60kmph just so I could speed the rest of the way.

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    Mute sportsmad
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    Aug 6th 2017, 10:17 AM

    80km is the max speed, not a target, you can drive at lower speeds

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    Mute Funfair
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    Aug 6th 2017, 10:43 AM

    @sportsmad: driving at lower speeds cause more accidents as it drives people nite that are behind

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    Mute Funfair
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    Aug 6th 2017, 10:44 AM

    @Funfair: drives people NUTS*

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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:06 AM

    @Funfair: yeah – there are sports at which you’re just being a nuisance. You see it mostly with fools thinking they’re being good citizens by joining the motorway at 30kph.

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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 12:57 PM

    @Funfair: So people who are quick to anger should be excused because they don’t get their own way. How about we get people of the road who are easily frustrated because who knows what will set them off. You are control only of the car you are driving behave responsibly when using an item that can easily kill

    4
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    Mute keano
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:16 AM

    20k per month, imagine if they reduced the prices of using it ….Kaaaaaathing !

    13
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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:27 AM

    @keano:

    And imagine the increase of cars using it slowing down the trucks. The purpose of the tunnel is not to provide fast access to the city for cars. It is to keep trucks out of the city centre

    57
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    Mute lez ferguson
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    Aug 6th 2017, 10:38 AM

    Just use a reg plate shutter going through the tunnel. Works every time.

    11
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    Mute kevinhunt101
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:07 AM

    @lez ferguson: intrigued, how do I do this

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    Mute lez ferguson
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    Aug 7th 2017, 4:08 PM

    @kevinhunt101: you can buy thrm on line.

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    Mute Leitrim303
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:29 AM

    Driving in Scotland is a nightmare with these average speed checkers. Once they see the potential for revenue collection here id say its only a matter of time before they roll them out country wide.

    10
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    Mute gerry fallon
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    Aug 6th 2017, 11:59 AM

    My gripe is the 40 foot trucks who are late for the ferry.Speeding way over 100km.A lot of foreign trucks too.Do they get a fine?

    7
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    Mute Dan
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    Aug 6th 2017, 9:51 AM

    They say the tunnel is 4.8 km…. but are the camera at the exact start and exit of the tunnel…a 100 yards either side could make a difference
    Was this measured exactly….from camera to camera…im sure it was?

    6
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    Mute mickmc
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    Aug 6th 2017, 8:02 AM

    How stupid do you have to be to be caught. It not as if there is not enough signs warning you about the situation.

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    Mute John Reid
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    Aug 6th 2017, 4:18 PM

    Another money-raiser for the state. Almost literally, shooting fish in a barrel!

    7
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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Aug 6th 2017, 1:08 PM

    I’d like Chief Superintendent Mr Aidan Reid what is he doing to catch tailgaters. There is a much higher chance of being in a collision caused by idiots tailgating than doing 5-10 kmh over the limit.

    5
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Aug 6th 2017, 2:28 PM

    @Shawn Rahoon: 10 kph extra on speed is a huge increase of the potential to fatalities. The actual decrease in journey time is minuscule so pointless anyway.

    3
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