The speed limit on almost all local roads in County Galway will reduce by 20km/h to 60km/h zones from the end of November – with just four exceptions planned.

And it has been estimated that the road safety measure to reduce speeds and collisions, will require the installation of some 3,000 new speed signs at junctions across the county’s 5,315 kilometres of local road network.

It has emerged that new signage will cost an estimated €1m, and Galway County Council does not have sufficient funding in its budget for 2024 for this work.

But Tom Prendergast, senior engineer at County Hall, said it was the local authority’s “expectation” that the additional signage costs would be covered by Government, through the Department of Transport.

Briefings of County Councillors at various Municipal District meetings took place this week, where Mr Prendergast outlined plans for all local roads in County Galway, with a total length of 5,315km, to default to 60km/h from the end of November.

All local roads across the country are also changing to lower speed limits, from 80km/h, following on from a National Speed Limit Review as part of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2023, ‘Our Journey Towards Vision Zero’.

Mr Prendergast told Councillors at the Athenry/Oranmore MD meeting on Tuesday that Galway County Council would be recommending that just four stretches of local road in County Galway should remain at the 80km/h speed limit.

The roads to remain at the higher limit include two in Ballinasloe area (12.8km of the Ballyforan to Mountbellew road and 7.5km of the Ballygar to Creggs road) and two in Athenry (1.15km of Athenry Outer Ring Road and 650 metres of the Athenry Ring Road at Presentation College).

These roads were chosen as suitable for 80km/h speed limits because they complied with guidelines provided by the Department of Transport and based on an assessment by Council staff.

Another 27 roads that have 80km/h were initially deemed suitable to remain at that higher limit, but guideline changes subsequently excluded them, as they were not wide enough, and there were excessive access points onto them.

The County Council was now preparing byelaws, which he hoped would be approved by elected members before the end of November, that would designate the four exempted roads as 80km/h.