Drivers speeding through the Dublin Port Tunnel will be caught from late this year after new cameras are installed to clock journey times.
Motorists are being warned it should take them at least 3.30 minutes to travel the 4.5km route at maximum speeds of 80km/h and anyone going faster is liable for an 80 euro fine and three penalty points
The country’s first “time over distance” cameras will monitor the underground urban motorwa y from the time a driver enters until they leave.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), which is working with the Garda to install the cameras, said the system is statistically shown to reduce collision rates by half.
Large yellow poles to hold the cameras are being fitted at the tunnel entrances and exits from Thursday.
Garda traffic corps Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid: “D ue to an increase in traffic travelling through Dublin Port Tunnel this new enforcement system provides additional support toward maintaining a safe travel experience for all users of the Tunnel.”
It is 10 years since the tunnel opened and traffic levels have increased by 40% over the last five years.
TII said statistically it would lead to an increase in accidents.
Michael Nolan, the transport body’s chief executive, said: “An average speed camera enforcement system will assist in maintaining the Dublin Port Tunnel’s strong safety record. TII is grateful to An Garda Siochana for supporting us with this operational improvement.”
TII said a record of speeding will be automatically generated by the fixed cameras and the details sent to the Garda traffic chiefs.
It said the enforcement system is the same as the automated processing of speeding and other road traffic offences that can lead to fixed penalty notices and penalty points.
Essentially there is no way of avoiding the 3.30min journey time as cha nging lanes will have no effect on the record created by the cameras.
TII said it plans to test the system over several months with the cameras going live later in the year.