A new motorway average speed camera is unlikely to see any 'significant road safety dividend'.
That's according to motoring and transport commentator, Conor Faughnan.
He was speaking as the country's first mainline motorway average speed safety camera will be launched in Tipperary next week.
The system monitors a vehicle's average speed while driving through two points.
Drivers caught speeding by the camera will get an €80 fine and three penalty points.
Although there has been a similar camera in place at the Dublin Port Tunnel, this is the first time one will be deployed on a motorway.
Conor told Newstalk Breakfast he does not see this being of any real safety benefit.
"It takes your average speed over a length of the motorway - and if your average speed exceeds the motorway speed limit of 120, then automatically the fine is issued.
"We haven't used them in Ireland before, with the single exception of the Port Tunnel.
"The Port Tunnel has an 80kph speed limit, and particular safety concerns apply there.
"So to my mind the Port Tunnel was always a pretty good location in which to put an average speed camera.
"Putting them out on the motorway itself - they do this is France, they do this in a couple of other jurisdictions - I'm not entirely convinced.
"It will do no harm, but motorways are the safest roads that we have by a distance anyway.
"So I don't think there's likely to be a significant road safety dividend from it, to be frank".
He believes other approaches, such as changing speed limits during bad weather, would be more beneficial.
