Ireland goes Metric

Argus Car Hire would like to draw your attention to a big change about to happen on Irish roads. From 20th January 2005, the measurement of speed limits on Irish roads will change from miles per hour (mph) to kilometres per hour (km/h). In addition, there will be significant changes to speed limits on certain roads and there will be some new vehicle speed limits.

The maximum metric speed limits for buses, coaches, trucks and towing vehicles that will apply when speed limits go metric on 20th January 2005 will be:

Double Deck Vehicles - 65km/h (approx. 40mph)
Buses and Coaches (with accommodation for more than 8 passengers - 80 km/h (approx. 50mph)
Towing Vehicles - 80km/h (approx. 50mph)
Trucks (with a design gross weight of more than 3,500kg) - 80km/h (approx. 50mph)

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are speed limits being reduced/decreased on regional roads?
The state of our national roads has improved significantly in recent years. Generally speaking, our regional and local roads are of a slightly lower standard than our national roads. Therefore, it is reasonable that the speed limits for national roads are set at a higher level than the speed limits for regional and local roads. It is considered that a maximum speed limit of 80 Km/h represents the best match for regional and local roads from a safety perspective.

Will all the sign posts change?
Yes, not only will 35,000 signs change but there will also be an extra 23,000 new signs provided.

How is the physical changeover going to happen?
New metric signs displaying km/h will be put in place by local authorities over a short period prior to 20th January. All imperial signs will be removed.

Are certain roads going to be changed before others?
For a short period before January 20th motorists will encounter metric signs at some locations and imperial signs at other locations. The metric signs will be clearly marked km/h. From January 20th the metric signs must be obeyed.

Will our speedometer in the car still be in miles?
Since the mid-1980s, most new vehicles sold in Ireland measure speed in both mph and km/h. Almost all new vehicles put on the market by the Irish motor industry from January 2005 will have speedometers marked in km/h only, or metric pre-dominant speedometers.

Argus Rent A Car And Going Metric in Ireland 2005

You arrive in Ireland and are unsure about the new metric system and you want to get to Belfast,or Dublin or perhaps you arrive in Cork but would like to explore the surrounding area or maybe even travel around Ireland. All our rental cars contain a quick guide to converting speed limits to the new system. So, why not choose Argus Rentacar to book your hire car with? We cover the entire country, have the lowest rates available, over 50 years experience in the business and are familyrun so we treat you well, not like some other car rental companies out there.

What is it like driving on Irish roads, do we have different road rules than other countries? All these questions and more are answered on our All About Ireland page. You can find out about how to drive on roundabouts, use our distance calculator to find out how far it is between Dublin and Cork plus lots of other helpful information.

Argus provide you with the highest level of quality and service, so you can be sure to enjoy the Belfast Festival, knowing that your car rental needs are in good hands. Book with us now and avail of our discounted online rates, with NO HIDDEN EXTRAS.

BOOK A CAR NOW!

Or why not visit some of the other sites we recommend on our links page.

Do all speedometers show kilometres?
Nearly all new vehicles on sale after January 2005 will be fitted with metric only or metric pre-dominant speedometers.

Most cars in Ireland show both miles and kilometres and some older models show miles only. An information leaflet containing a conversion table will be sent to every household and you should consult the conversion table before setting out on a journey.

My car is old so how will I measure my speed if it doesn’t list kilometres?
Every household will be issued with a conversion table that you can consult before you set off on your journey.

What changes (if any) will I have to make to my car?
None.

Why are there no plans to retrofit speedometers?
There are no plans to retrofit speedometers due to the sheer number of cars that would have to be changed and due to the fact that different models would require different speedometers. There is no “one size fits all” solution.

Will all cars from 2005 be in kilometres?
Nearly all new vehicles on sale after January 2005 will be fitted with metric only or metric pre-dominant speedometers.

What happens to speed limits at road works?
The County or City Manager in each Local Authority will have the power to make an order determining that a speed limit other than that which would normally apply at the site of the road works should be put in place for the duration of the road works. This will be a quicker process than the making of special speed limit bye-laws by the local authorities.

What happens to speed limits at schools?
Local Authorities will have the power to set special speed limits at locations (such as schools) that are especially sensitive from a road safety perspective. These can be as low as 30 Km/h (approx. 19mph) and can be applied for a specific period during the day or on specific days.

Can we apply speed limits in different lanes? Yes. For the first time local authorities will be able to apply different speed limits to different carriageways or lanes.