NEW SPEED CAMERAS, known as Motorway Average Speed Safety Cameras, will go live on a stretch of road on the M7 from Monday at 7am. 

The system will be in place on the M7 in Tipperary between  Junction 26 and Junction 27, both directions, eastbound and westbound.

Vehicles detected driving in excess of the 120km/h posted motorway speed limit will be subject to prosecution from 07:00hrs Monday 25 April, gardaí said in a statement. 

A similar system is already in place at the Port Tunnel in Dublin city.

Prosecution of speeding offences take place by Fixed Charge Notice. The current Fixed Charge Notice is €80 fine accompanied by three penalty points. 

Gardaí said that prior to the installation of the system, compliance with the 120km/h motorway speed limit was below 70%. 

During the periods of the testing/ pilot scheme compliance levels have risen, but remain below 90%, the statement said.

A garda spokesperson said: “Analysis of traffic data by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) shows that speeding is typical of driver behaviour on low traffic volume sections of the motorway network throughout the country.

“This type of driver behaviour is very dangerous, and it is compounded during rain or hail showers increasing the potential of serious accidents.  Further, the data identified that speeds are not being appropriately moderated in response to adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain or low road temperatures.