Flashing speed limit signs in Tipperary go dark as thief repeatedly steals batteries
The repeated theft of batteries from flashing speed limit signs in one part of Tipperary is leaving the signs inactive, councillors have been told.
At the June meeting of the Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District, Labour councillor Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan asked district engineer Michael Scully for an update on the flashing speed limit signs around the area and why batteries weren’t being replaced.
“The flashing speed signs, they’re all in areas where people have come to me on numerous occasions about speeding, and I know we can say it’s enforcement, but we’re not keeping up our side of the bargain, warning people of the speed limits,” Cllr Brennan said.
“We’re not getting batteries replaced in them, I know they’re getting stolen, but we were told that you were trying to identify a way that they wouldn’t get stolen, but I’d like to see an update on them,” he added.
In response, Mr Scully said that every time the council puts batteries in those signs, they’re getting taken, and that this wasn’t an effective use of council money.
“The batteries are being put into these and they’re being stolen. If you want, I’ll put more batteries in them, and they’ll be stolen, and you’ll be coming back to me next week or next month asking me for more batteries.
“If you want me to put more batteries into them, I’ll put batteries into them, but that’s not the solution. I’m trying to find a solution, but I’m open to alternatives here,” Mr Scully said.
“If that’s how you want me to spend the funding, I’ll spend it that way, but there’ll be other things that will be losing out because of it,” he added.
The only alternative to the flashing speed limit signs is standard speed limit signs, the meeting was told, while Mr Scully reinforced the fact that speeding is an enforcement issue for the gardaí.
“Unfortunately, my hands are tied on it. I wish there was a solution, if I could put a battery in, and I knew it could be tamper-proof, I’d happily put it in, but I’d be putting it in this week, and I’d be putting it in again in a few months time,” Mr Scully told the councillors.
Mr Scully reiterated that speeding remains a matter for Garda enforcement, adding that until a more secure power source can be found, the council has few practical options for keeping the flashing signs operational.