A regional road () in the Republic of Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route (such as a national primary road or national secondary road), but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres (7,200 miles) of regional roads. Roads Ireland, '€17 billion for roads', issue 4, 48. Regional roads are numbered with three-digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" (e.g. R105). The equivalent road category in Northern Ireland are B roads.
History Until 1977, classified roads in the Republic of Ireland were designated with one of two prefixes: "T" for trunk roads and "L" for link roads. The Local Government (Roads and Motorways) Act, 1974 authorised the designation of roads as national roads: in 1977, twenty-five national primary roads (N1-N25) and thirty-three national secondary roads (N51-N83) were initially designated under the Local Government (Roads and Motorways) Act, 1974 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1977..
Many of the remaining classified roads became regional roads, formally authorised under the Roads Act, 1993 (having been indicated as such on road signs on a non-statutory basis for some years previously) and their routes were designated under Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of Regional Roads) Order, 1994. The latest statutory instrument designating the routes of regional roads was published in 2012.
Other roads once classified as trunk or link roads eventually became local roads.
Older signs showing the former trunk and link road designations are still to be seen in some locations. The L (for link road) prefix on these signs is not connected to the network of local roads currently in place.
Features Unlike national roads, regional roads are maintained by local county or city councils rather than Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The vast majority of the regional road network is made up of single-carriageway roads although some roads are dual-carriageway. Until the late 1990s, such roads were often in a very poor condition, although increased road maintenance funding to local councils has resulted in more frequent resurfacing of regional roads, as well as relaying and realignment on some routes.
Regional roads are generally subject to a speed limit of 80 km/h (imperial equivalent 50 mph), rather than the 100 km/h (imperial equivalent 62.5 mph) for national roads. Prior to 20 January 2005, when Ireland adopted metric speed limits, national and regional roads had identical speed limits of 60 mph. Regional roads, however, pass through towns, villages and built-up areas frequently, so even lower local speed restrictions are often in place. However, certain regional roads, often sections of former national roads which have been bypassed by motorways or other road improvements, have speed limits of 100 km/h. The R132 (former N1) is an example of a Regional road with a 100 km/h speed limit.
, directional signposting on some regional roads in Ireland remains poor, with even modern signage usually relying on fingerpost signposts located directly at junctions. However, work on improving signposting on regional roads has been continuing since 2003; routes which previously had the most deficient signposting were selected for upgrading first. In 2007, a total of "€7 million to continue progress on the regional roads signposting programme, which commenced in 2003" was granted to local authorities. Roads Ireland, 'Local roads get €600 million', issue 4, 55–57.
High-capacity regional roads There are some higher-capacity (i.e. not just single-carriageway) sections of regional road, most notably the R113 (Belgard Road) and R445 (Old Naas Road), the R132 Swords Inner By-pass, and R136 Dublin Outer Ring Road which have sections of dual carriageway.
In some cases, important high-capacity urban routes are built or designated as regional roads, such as the mostly dual-carriageway R710 Waterford Outer Ring Road, or the R774 Greystones to the N11 link, which is dual-carriageway for its full length.
In many other cases, upgraded regional roads (for example, wide two-lane roads) were previously part of a national primary road, prior to the construction of a motorway or other bypass. In most cases, when a national primary road is changed by the creation of a bypass (motorway or other), the road previously forming part of the route is reclassified as a regional road rather than as a local road.
Route definitions
The current routes of all regional roads in Ireland – as defined by the Roads Act 1993 (Classification of Regional Roads) Order 2012 – are listed below. The statutory instrument specifies the start and end points of each route and the names of those townlands, villages, towns, and other settlements through which the route passes, as well as individual road names, where necessary, to establish the exact routing.
R101–R199 – North Circular Road, Dublin – Blanchardstown – Malahide Road, Dublin – Finglas – Killester, Dublin – Finglas – Kilbarrack, Dublin – Dublin – Howth, County Dublin – Sutton – Malahide – Swords, County Dublin – Dublin – Malahide, County Dublin – Dublin – Naul, County Dublin – Drogheda. County Louth – Chapelizod – Wolf Tone Quay, Dublin – St Stephen's Green – Red Cow, Dublin – Conyngham Road – Beach Road, Sandymount, Dublin – Chapelizod – Churchtown – Mount Merrion, County Dublin – Fonthill – Blackrock, County Dublin – Dublin – Rathfarnham – Brittas, County Dublin – Rathfarnham, County Dublin – Laragh, County Wicklow – Ballyboden – Loughlinstown, County Dublin – Dublin – Enniskerry – Kilcroney, County Wicklow – Dublin – Blackrock, County Dublin and Dún Laoghaire – Lahaunstown, County Dublin – Blackrock – Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin – Bray, County Wicklow – Lucan – Rathcoole – Corbally, County Dublin – Lucan – Blanchardstown – Skephubble, County Dublin – Finglas – Balbriggan, County Dublin – Maynetown – Balgriffin, County Dublin – Snugborough – Malahide, County Dublin – Swords, County Dublin – Dunshaughlin, County Meath – Kilcock, County Kildare – Lissenhall – Portrane, County Dublin – Blakes Cross – Skerries – Balbriggan, County Dublin – Lusk – Rush – Skerries, County Dublin – Coldwinters – Wyanstown, County Dublin – Coolquoy Common – Grallagh, County Dublin – Drumcondra Road – East Link Bridge – Merrion Gates, Dublin – Dublin – Dundalk, County Louth (part of old National Route 1) – Drummartin Link Road, Sandyford, County Dublin – Nangor Road, Clondalkin, County Dublin – Dublin – Ashbourne, County Meath (part of old National Route 2) – Lucan – Tallaght, County Dublin (Outer Ring Road) – Dame Street – Tallaght, County Dublin (part of old National Route 81) – O'Connell Bridge – Mount Merrion Avenue, County Dublin (part of old National Route 11) – Clonshaugh – Baldoyle, Dublin (part of old National Route 32) – Dublin – Clonee – Kells – Navan – Derver, County Meath (part of old National Route 3) – Dublin – Kinnegad, County Westmeath (part of old National Route 4) – Leixlip, County Kildare – Clonee, County Meath – Drogheda, County Louth – Bettystown – Julianstown – Kentstown, County Meath – Bettystown – Mornington, County Meath – Drogheda, County Louth – Cushinstown, County Meath – Navan – Balrath, County Meath – Black Bull – Trim – Athboy, County Meath – Crossdoney, County Cavan – Piercetown – Primatestown, County Meath – Dunboyne – Summerhill, County Meath – The Downs, County Westmeath – Dunboyne, County Meath – Maynooth, County Kildare – Trim – Summerhill, County Meath – Kilcock, County Kildare – Innfield – Laracor, County Meath – Ballynadrumny, County Kildare – Trim, County Meath – Navan, County Meath – Kinnegad, County Westmeath – Navan, County Meath – Kingscourt, County Cavan – Monaghan – Ballinlough Big – Kells – Slane, County Meath – Ballyboy – Kells – Moynalty, County Meath – Kingscourt, County Cavan – Blakestown, County Louth – Kingscourt – Knockanoark – Rakenny, County Cavan – Mell, Louth – Drogheda – Clogherhead – Castlebellingham – Tallanstown, County Louth – Drogheda – Termonfeckin, County Louth – Drogheda – Collon, County Louth – Dunleer – Collon, County Louth – Ardee – Dunleer – Murrays Cross, County Louth – Ardee – Louth – Dundalk, County Louth – Green Gates – Blackrock – Dundalk, County Louth – Dundalk – Carlingford – County Bridge, County Louth – Feede – Rockmarshall, County Louth – The Bush – Greenore, County Louth – Carlingford – Saint James Well, County Louth – Dundalk – Drumbilla, County Louth – Dundalk, County Louth – Carrickmacross, County Monaghan – Bailieborough – Virginia, County Cavan – Kingscourt, County Cavan – Carrickmacross – Corcullioncrew, County Monaghan – Carrickmacross – Ballybay, County Monaghan – Shercock, County Cavan – Castleblayney – Tullynagrow, County Monaghan – Castleblayney – Lurganearly, County Monaghan – Castleblayney – Ballybay – Clones, County Monaghan – Clontibret – Ballybay, County Monaghan – Cavanreagh – Glasslough – Kiltybeggs, County Monaghan – Monaghan – Drumfurrer, County Monaghan – Annaghervy – Inishammon, County Monaghan – Monaghan – Cootehill, County Cavan – Cavan – Monaghan – Newbliss – Dyan, County Monaghan – Ballybay, County Monaghan – Cootehill, County Cavan – Mullagh – Bailieborough – Cootehill, County Cavan – Shercock – Cootehill, County Cavan – Rockcorry – Anny, County Monaghan – Moynalty, County Meath – Virginia, County Cavan – Longford – Virginia, County Cavan – Castlepollard, County Westmeath – New Inn – Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan – Belturbet – Corrarod, County Cavan – Cavan – Arvagh, County Cavan – Longford – Crossdoney, County Cavan – Ballinamore, County Leitrim
R200–R299 – Derrynacreeve, County Cavan – Drumkeeran, County Leitrim – Belturbet – Killeshandra, County Cavan – Drumsna, County Leitrim – Dromod, County Leitrim – Derrynacreeve, County Cavan – Arvagh, County Cavan – Carrigallen, County Leitrim – Carigallen – Ballinamore, County Leitrim – Garadice, County Leitrim – Gortawee, County Cavan – Glangevlin – Blacklion, County Cavan – Drumshanbo, County Leitrim – Dowra, Mullaghahy, County Cavan – Drumshanbo – Ballinamore, County Leitrim – Drumheckil – Fenagh, County Leitrim – Drumaleague – Drumcong, County Leitrim – Cappoge – Mooremount, County Louth – Clones, County Monaghan – Ballyhaise, County Cavan – Cavan – Tyholland – Castleshane, County Monaghan – Castleshane – Drumbeo, County Monaghan – De Valera Road and Port Road, Letterkenny, County Donegal – Glencolmbkille – Ardara. County Donegal – Ballyshannon – Ballintra, County Donegal – Eaghy – Pettigoe, County Donegal – Pettigoe – Lough Derg, County Donegal – Pettigoe – Letter Bridge, County Donegal – Castlefinn – Alt Upper, County Donegal – Stranorlar – Dunmore, County Donegal – Newtowncunningham – Athaghaderry, County Donegal – Ring of Inishowen, County Donegal – Muff – Burnfoot – Carrownamaddy, County Donegal – Quigleys Point – Carndonagh, County Donegal – Moville – Portsallagh, County Donegal – Doon Bridge – Malin – Slievebane, County Donegal – Malin – Templemoyle Cross, County Donegal – Drumfree – Gleneely, County Donegal – Letterkenny – Rathmelton – Creeslough, County Donegal – Kilmacrennan – Millford – Portsalon, County Donegal – Rathmelton – Carrowkeel – Cionn Fhanáda, County Donegal – Carrigart – Na Dúnaibh, County Donegal – Kilmacrenan – Rathmelton, County Donegal – Letterkenny – Glenties, County Donegal – Doon Glebe – Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal – Ballybofey – An Clochán Liath, County Donegal – Ballybofey – Glenties, County Donegal – Carrickyscanlan – An Dúchoraidh, County Donegal – An Tearmann – Drumfin, County Donegal – Glenveagh – An Fál Carrach, County Donegal – Gort an Choirce – Doirí Beaga – Croithlí, County Donegal – Acomhal Ghaoth Dobhair – Cé an Bhuna Bhig, County Donegal – Croithlí – Ailt an Choráin – An Clochán Liath, County Donegal – Ailt an Choráin – Cé Ailt an Choráin, County Donegal – Maas – Ardara, County Donegal