What are National Routes?
National routes are smaller than motorways.
Some of these are dual carriageways.
This means that they have two lanes going in both directions.
National roads can easily be recognised from signposts. They always have a specific number with an 'N' in front.
An example would be the 'N11'.
National Primary Routes
How a National Primary Road is shown on a map
Three examples of National Primary Road on a section of map of the Sligo area. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland.
How a National Primary Road is shown on a map
How a National Primary Road is shown on a map
Three examples of National Primary Road on a section of map of the Sligo area. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland.
National Primary Roads are shown in green on Ordnance Survey maps. Their names start with N. Examples include the N11 which runs from Dublin to Wexford and the N15 from Sligo to Bundoran.
The N15 can be seen on the following map of the Sligo region.
Look below to see what this area also looks like on Google Maps (you can get different viewpoints by clicking on the 'Map', 'Satellite' and 'Hybrid' buttons). Can you identify four different National Primary Roads on this section of map ?
National Primary Roads are generally the main roads between cities and large towns where no motorways are available. The current speed limit on National Primary Roads is 100kmph.
National Secondary Routes
How a National Secondary Road is shown on a map
National Secondary roads are shown in green and white dashes. National Secondary roads such as the N59 in Sligo are generally smaller roads than National Primary Roads but have the same speed limit of 100kmph. However, it will most likely take longer to travel from A to B on National Secondary roads than it would on National Primary roads. National Secondary Roads are our "third best" roads. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland..
How a National Secondary Road is shown on a map
How a National Secondary Road is shown on a map
National Secondary roads are shown in green and white dashes. National Secondary roads such as the N59 in Sligo are generally smaller roads than National Primary Roads but have the same speed limit of 100kmph. However, it will most likely take longer to travel from A to B on National Secondary roads than it would on National Primary roads. National Secondary Roads are our "third best" roads. (c) Copyright Ordnance Survey Ireland..
National Secondary Roads are shown in green and white dashes.
An example of a National Secondary Road is the N59 from Sligo to Beltra and Drumard which is shown on the following section of map.
National Secondary Roads such as the N59 in Sligo are generally smaller roads than National Primary Roads but have the same speed limit of 100kmph.
It would most likely take longer to travel from A to B on National Secondary roads than it would on National Primary roads.
National Secondary Roads are our "third best" roads.