New average speed cameras installed on N3 and N5
Meath's first average speed safety camera, which will measure speed over a distance rather than at a static point is, is due to be operational on the N2 in Slane by the end of the year.
It is one of three locations previously announced by An Garda Siochana where average speed safety cameras are to be installed in response to high incidents of collisions. The other two locations are the N3 in Cavan between Kilduff and Billis, and the N5 at Swinford between Lislackagh and Cuilmore and these cameras are now installed but not yet operational.
The exact locations of the Slane cameras on the N2 have not yet been announced.
In an update on the roll out of these new average speed safety cameras, An Garda Siochana has confirmed that infrastructure and technology have been installed for the N3 in Cavan and the N5 in Swinford.
Commissioning, testing and validation of the infrastructure and safety cameras has commenced and will continue for a number of weeks.The average speed camera for the N2 in Slane is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.
The safety camera site locations have been chosen because they meet the criteria as being high collision sites with numerous road traffic collisions, involving injury, serious injury and fatalities.
Average Safety Cameras are intended to change driver behaviour, reducing average speed of road users and the number of collisions that occur, making roads safer for all road users and decreasing the impact of speed on local communities.
Average safety cameras work by monitoring a vehicle's speed over a certain distance, rather than at a single point. Unlike static safety camera detection which measures the motorists speed at one particular point along the road, average safety cameras monitor a driver’s average speed while driving between two points.
These cameras use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to record the time, date, and location of each vehicle that passes through an entry and exit point.
Drivers detected exceeding the speed limit , that is travelling from point A to point B too quickly, are issued with a Fixed Charge Notice which, when processed, assigns three penalty points to the drivers licence and a fine of up to €160.
An Garda Síochana says the objective of the cameras is to prevent death and serious injury on Irish roads and point out that speed is a factor in the severity of outcome of many collisions, and is a cause in 30 per cent of fatal collisions.
Average Speed Cameras are one of a range of Garda technology, enforcement, visibility, and education initiatives to reduce road deaths as part of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy.
They were first introduced in the Dublin Port Tunnel in 2017 and then on the M7 in 2022 between Junction 26 and Junction 27 (9km stretch), and according to Gardaí are effective in leading drivers to reduce their speed.
The purchase of infrastructure and operation of this initial phase of safety cameras is a funded initiative by An Garda Síochána. The completion of this initial phase was possible with the assistance and cooperation of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), Local Authorities, LGMA, ESB and all contractors involved, including groundworks and installation funding.
As the roll-out of this phase of safety cameras (three average Safety Camera systems and nine Static Safety Cameras) continues, An Garda Síochána says it will provide further information as and when new locations move into the testing phase and that advance notification will be given prior to any safety camera site, average or fixed commencing an enforcement phase.
The locations of the nine static cameras are N59 (Galway), N25 (Waterford), R772 (Wicklow), N14 (Donegal), N80 (Carlow), Dublin (Dolphin’s Barn), N17 (Mayo), N22 (Cork), and N69 (Limerick).
An Garda Síochána has also welcomed the announcement in Budget 2025 of €9 million in funding for up to 100 new static safety cameras.