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Dublin: 10 °C Monday 20 May, 2013

Camera installed in Dublin to catch drivers running red lights

Ireland’s first red light camera enforcement project is to begin shortly in Dublin.

File photo of Gardaí attending an incident on a Luas line.
File photo of Gardaí attending an incident on a Luas line.

A CAMERA IS to be installed in Dublin City Centre to catch drivers who run red lights.

The proposed scheme will see the Gardaí issue fines to alleged offenders, Dublin City Council confirmed today.

Sergeant Jim Molloy told TheJournal.ie that this is the first red light camera enforcement project in Ireland.

However, those who have been caught making an infringement will only be subject to prosecution if they do not pay the fixed charge.

“In accordance with the standard practice in respect of fixed charge notices, prosecutions would be initiated if payment of the fixed charge wasn’t received,” he said.

Drivers can be fined up to €120 for running red lights and penalty points can also be issued.

The Garda Press Office was not able to confirm the start date for the trial but said images from the camera will be used to issue fines.

AA Ireland’s director of policy, Conor Faughnan welcomed the proposal. He said:

The AA has no problem with the idea in principle, and in fact it is particularly important along the Luas Red line between O’Connell Street and Smithfield where there have been a number of collisions between cars and Luas trams.

We will watch the red light experiment closely and see what feedback we get from AA Members but we feel that most drivers will feel that it is a good idea.

According to the Irish Independent, the camera will move between the junctions where the Luas red line meets Blackhall Place and Queen Street on the quays.

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Comments (29 Comments)

  • Barry 05/09/11 #

    As a motorist I have to say it’s about time, there are far too many red light jumpers that I see almost daily

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  • I assume this won’t have any effect on cyclists. (No license plates and all that).
    As a cyclist, it infuriates me when others pay no heed to the lights. The rules of the road apply to all road users.

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  • Aisling 05/09/11 #

    This is a great idea for cars and hopefully aswell it will help a bit with the countless cyclists who seem to think they don’t have to stop at red lights.

    Not all of them break them, but there have been many times I’ve almost been hit by a cyclist while crossing a road because they don’t understand the concept of stopping. I’m lucky if I spot one as I cross I slow before getting to them just incase.

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  • I was T-boned by an eejit who jumped a red light last year. This move makes a lot of sense. Bring it on.

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  • there is already a red light camera on the johns road junction before heuston station in Dublin ????

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    • That one was a test – they seemed to have installed two types of the camera there over the years – an is still there (east bound carriageway). There was also one at the junction of the N11 and Nutley Lane (not sure if that one is still there).

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  • Glad to see this go ahead. There used to be a camera on the Stillorgan Road inbound at the junction with Greenfield Park, just beside RTÉ.

    (On a related point, Conor Faughnan always seems to be the default quote for anything to do with traffic (not just here, if anything RTÉ are the worst offenders) as if he represented some disinterested charity. AA Ireland is a limited company primarily interested in representing and expanding its own customer base. By all means quote the man, but maybe make it clearer that he has an axe to grind and get some complementary quote from Veolia, or from the Dublin Cycling Campaign on the issue of cyclists and red light jumpers.)

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  • Fingal 05/09/11 #

    Its the drivers responsibility when approaching any traffic lights to be aware that they may change and if you are obeying the speed limit you will have ample time to stop. This is a good idea and hopefully if it works it should be rolled out nationwide.

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  • I think they should introduce a licencing system for cyclists too. And enforce this new measures for cyclists too. You see way more cyclists breaking red lights than you do motorists. Oh and while they’re at it, they should not have to pay a fine but get points on their licence too. Thats the only fair way to do it. Repeat offenders get a ban and a fine. That should deter them from doing it again and in the meantime, the state gets the money.

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  • Completely disagree with you Elizabeth. It’s only making money from those who are running red lights and I’m happy with revenue being raised from these people.
    Too many idiots jumping the lights and causing collisions

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  • Sean 05/09/11 #

    Fix the traffic light system first! Firstly, the traffic lights are not synchronized with each other. If they would be you would get green light when driving at 50km/h (not exceeding the limit) and all other traffic lights would be green too (except when the traffic is heavy). Secondly, the lights move too quickly from green to red, while in Europe you would get couple of blinks of yellow before it turns red which gives you enough time to prepare to stop.

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  • Traffic lights are sync’d out of sync deliberatly to frustrate drivers into leaving cars at home.

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  • @ Brian. I totally agree with you, but I have never been in a car accident and never run red lights and would consider myself to be a very confident driver as I mostly have my two children on the car with me! I make sure that when I buy car insurance that I am fully covered for everything possible, but for god sake we are talking about installing cameras at traffic light in city centre where speed limit is 30km anyway!! I domt see what can be accomplished by this. Other than people making money from it! Won’t save lives! People are still going to speed and people are still going to go through red lights. So plenty money to be made at 120 euro a pop!! Fair play!! Who is going to pay for installment of these cameras?!

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  • You would be very surprised!!

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  • People like me? What is supposed to mean? Fine then why not make special exceptions for cyclists. Why not let them cycle on the footpaths too? That might make them more comfortable and less threatened by those big, nasty motorists.

    No, i don’t think jaywalkers should be put under house arrest but they should get a ticket for it. What is the point of even having traffic lights if motorists are the only ones that are expected to heed them?

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  • Yes but at what cost??? Waste of money!!! There are far worse things happening in this country! Sorry to hear about your accident Fergal but that’s what we pay insurance for!! Just a little example here for yas, if this is all about road safety and that, why do we have speed limits of 80km on roads that are leatal and yet people are getting done for speeding on great straight non dangerous roads at 60km when it should be the opposite! These are the change that need to come about and and a call line to report the likes of tail gaters and dangerous drivers! Ridiculous! This is not about saving lives at all! Its bulls*it

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    • And Sean I totally agree with you 100%

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    • @Elizabeth. Insurance is what it is but it never really pays for everything. If you’ve ever been in an accident and in the right and have to claim there’s always something not covered and most of all your time involved in arranging everything is never covered. That’s just covering the material damage. If you are physically injured you may get a cheque but it may never get your life and health back to the way you were.

      If you don’t break red lights you have nothing to worry about. The same with speeding. In the meantime let them rake it in for anybody who decides to ignore a sign with a number on it or a big red light.

      Then of course there are people, like your self, who have the relevant engineering and risk knowledge to be able to decide what the speed limit at any given road should be.

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  • Another way to rake the money it, load of crap!! We all know as drivers how traffic lights work, and you do get the odd person dodging a red light but in that case there would be more accidents!! Is this a major problem in Dublin?? I think they should stick there cameras where real crime is being committed and try to catch criminals!! Or stick them elsewhere!! Money money money!! That’s all it’s about!

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    • They’ll only make money from people who break the law. If a Garda ever stops you for a traffic violation I suggest you try the “Why aren’t you out catching real criminals?” line and see how it goes.

      On the issue of accidents, the article mentions that this is for that very reason targeted at the Luas Red Line.

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  • Yes but that’s my point, people who run red lights will have to pay a fine!! If it that much of a problem, why not a prison sentence!! Why is it always money and fines and then off ya go and do it again!! Money making!! Like everything else in this country!

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    • A prison term for breaking lights? You really think that is appropriate? Clogging up the prisons and courts with stuff that can be covered in a low cost way by fines?

      I think it is a great idea, and also wish there was some way it could be extended to another two groups…. people who don’t use the available pedestrian crossings (shoving buggies under trucks in the process) and cyclists who break red lights.

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  • I dont know about ‘off you go again’. If I was hit with points and â

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  • You need a licence to have a tv and a dog, why is it so ridiculous that you should have a licence to own a bicycle? As for insurance, well pedestrians have been known to have been knocked over by cyclists before. Its not totally unheard of.

    All i am saying is you hear people giving out about how motorists apparently think they own the road. Well we do pay for it….

    Let me put it a different way, if you live in a house but don’t contribute towards any of the bills, should you get a say in how that house is being run?

    Equality is all well and good as long it is actually equal in every way. Not just a way that suits certain people.

    Reply

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