By Car
There are a number of car hire companies with offices in
Belfast. To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old (age may
vary by car category) and have held your license for 1 year.
Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge.
Some suppliers have a maximum age limit of 69 years old. Seatbelts
are mandatory and children up to age 3 must be in a child seat.
Speed
Limits
Speed limits in the United Kingdom are as
follows:
- City 30mph/48kph
- Open Roads 60mph/96kph
- Motorways 70mph/112kph
In Northern Ireland, all signposts and speeds are in miles and
place names are displayed in English.
Rules of the Road
Traffic travels on the left and you always want to turn left
when entering a roundabout (traffic circle). UK cars are equipped
with the steering wheel on the right hand side of the vehicle.
Before taking a car onto the open road please read the
Highway Code and save
lives.
Gas /
Fuel
Gasoline is called petrol in the United
Kingdom. Some gas stations found along the motorways are open 24
hours.
Tolls
There are a limited number of toll highways in the United
Kingdom and none in Northern Ireland
Parking
There are meters where you can buy a ticket and display this on
your windshield. When there is a red line painted on the curb or a
double yellow line, parking is prohibited. Parking on a single
yellow line is subject to a time restriction which will be posted
close by.
Motor Vehicle Insurance Information
Car rental insurance companies varies widely in the cover that
they provide. Temporary insurance to cover your stay or trip may be
purchased from the car rental company that you choose. It is
however important that you have the best possible cover. The
minimum insurance that you must have to take a vehicle onto the
road is fire and third party liability insurance though this may
not be enough cover in the event of an accident and you may find
yourself paying some or even all of the costs. The maximum
insurance cover is called ‘Fully Comprehensive’ however there are
many variations in between the two.
Car Hire in the Republic of Ireland
Most car categories can be driven anywhere in the Republic of
Ireland and Northern Ireland without restriction.
Tolls
The M50 Motorway that circles Dublin operates using eFlow - the
new barrier-free tolling system, which aims to make the motorway
work much better for you. Overhead cameras and detectors
automatically record your electronic tag or vehicle number plate,
so you can pass through the toll point at normal driving speed,
avoiding queues and reducing stress and frustration.
Regular users of the M50 register for Tag Registration, and
tolls are deducted automatically from their account, or they pay in
advance at a Payzone Station. If you are visiting Ireland, however,
and need to use the M50 East and West Link Toll, then you must pay
for the journey by 8pm the following day, otherwise you will
receive a penalty fine, along with the charge for the toll. For
more information on how to pay the M50 barrier-free toll, log onto
http://www.eflow.ie/
Parking
Most cities have meters or ‘pay and display' parking. You will
need to buy a ticket for a specific amount of time and display it
on your windshield. Parking where there is a double yellow line is
prohibited.
Rules of the Road
Motorists are urged to remember the change of driving laws when
crossing the border. New signs in the Republic display the new
speed limits in kilometres per hour. However, motorists should also
be aware that on some roads permitted speeds are now different to
those in Northern Ireland.
Speed Limits (Republic of Ireland)
As of the 20th January 2005, the measurement of speed
limits on the Republic of Ireland roads changed from miles per hour
(mph) to kilometres per hour (km/h). There has also been
significant changes to speed limits on certain roads in the ROI
along with some new vehicle speed limits.
The maximum speed limits:
- Towns and cities 50km/h;
- Regional areas and local roads (speeds displayed by white
signs) 80km/h;
- National roads (displayed by green signs)
100km/h.
Signposts
In the Republic, all signposts denoting distance and speed
limits are now in kilometres per hour. In the Gaeltacht
(Gaelic-speaking) areas of the Republic of Ireland, only the
Irish/Gaelic versions of place names will be used on road signs and
large-scale maps. Smaller scale ordnance survey maps, such as those
used by tourists and currently distributed by Tourism Ireland, can
carry both Irish and English versions of names. The areas in
question are relatively small and with the aid of a good tourist
map and the help of friendly locals visitors should be able to
navigate their way around all parts of the country without too much
difficulty.
License and Insurance
Visitors to the Republic of Ireland should be in possession of
either a full valid national driving license or an international
driving permit issued abroad. These are readily available from
motoring organizations in the country of origin. If you are
planning to bring your car to Ireland, please advise your insurance
company before travelling.