The National Roads Authority (NRA) has rejected calls for a full safety audit of the N18 Ennis bypass before its speed limit is increased to 120km/h when it is ungraded to motorway status later this year.
Earlier this month, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey declared 294km of national roads as new motorway sections effective from August 28th. The list includes an 8.3km stretch of dual-carriageway from Shannon to Latoon, and 12.5km of the Ennis bypass.
Local councillors had called on the department to defer changing the status of the route until a safety audit was completed. They believe the higher limit is too dangerous without alterations being made at several locations on the dual-carriageway.
The NRA has said that apart from erecting the blue motorway signage, no further work is planned.