By Chris Ashmore
CONCERNS that motorists are flouting the speed limit on one of Letterkenny’s busiest roads has prompted fresh calls for urgent safety measures to be put in place.
It has emerged that the vast bulk of motorists are exceeding the speed limit on the Glencar Road, above McGovern’s junction (close to Gaelscoil Adhamhnáin).
The issue has been highlighted by Councilllor Gerry McMonagle, who has expressed concern for children and other pedestrians in the area, especially those wishing to cross the road.
Cllr McMonagle is calling for a speed ramp to be provided. In response to a motion on the subject that he submitted for the January meeting of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Council, he was informed that a speed survey has been carried out.
It revealed that “the 85-percentile speed for traffic on the road was 57 kph” – which is above the speed limit.
The 85th percentile speed is a measurement used by engineers to evaluate road safety. In effect, it is the speed at or below which 85 per cent of drivers travel under free-flow conditions.
In other words, it represents the speed chosen by the majority of “reasonable and prudent” drivers on a roadway.
The findings in relation to the Glencar Road prove that the vast majority of motorists are going too fast on a road that has a 50 kph speed limit.
“We need to make them slow down,” said Cllr McMonagle.
“We need to find the money and put a ramp on this road and protect the families on that road and the children who cross it. This is going on too long.”
Seconding his motion, which called for a safe crossing place as well as a ramp, Cllr. Jimmy Kavanagh said it was a “really busy road”.
Senior Roads and Transportation Engineer David McIlwaine said that there is no funding currently available for traffic calming measures at this location, but he noted that a discussion can be held among councillors when they meet to look at the 2026 Roads Maintenance programme for the municipal district.
“I will be talking about it again and again until we do get it, there are multiple developments up above this road. You have the speed camera and the evidence,” Cllr. McMonagle said.
Meanwhile, new research has revealed that Donegal drivers are among the most likely in Ireland to be stung by a speed van or safety camera in 2026, according to new research.
The latest research has mapped out the counties where drivers have the shortest odds of being detected by a speed van or safety camera in 2026, now that hundreds of new safety camera zones are live from January.
Data was gathered via annualised Garda camera detected speeding notices from January to September 2025 to estimate a 2026 run rate, then normalised against CSO vehicles under licence to express the results as one in X registered vehicles.
Casino.org Ireland has modelled where drivers are most likely to pick up a camera detected speeding notice in 2026, using Garda camera detected speeding notice data and the number of vehicles registered locally. The result is an odds style county ranking that shows where the risk is highest this year if the current pace continues.
Mayo is predicted to be Ireland’s number one speed camera fine risk county in 2026. The equivalent of around one in seven registered vehicles is forecast to receive a camera detected speeding notice over the year. In simple terms, Mayo drivers are facing Ireland’s shortest odds of being stung by a speed camera in 2026.
Across the country, the model suggests the equivalent of around one in 20 registered vehicles could receive a camera detected speeding notice in 2026.
Donegal ranks in the top 10 counties most likely to get a camera speeding notice in 2026, at one in 12. Kerry ranks as the county with the lowest predicted camera speeding notice rate in 2026, at roughly 1 in 56 registered vehicles.
