*Photograph: Gary Collins
NEW CYCLING SCHEMES FOR the Tulla Rd, Limerick Rd, Lahinch Rd and Gort Rd, all in Ennis are advancing.
A non-statutory public consultation for the Tulla Rd has concluded with minor amendments to be made to the design to incorporate additional traffic calming measures requested by members of the public.
Acting senior executive engineer with Clare County Council, Conor McDonagh expected the scheme would be progressed through a statutory process.
He said, “funding for conceptual design development only” has been made available this year for the Limerick Rd including St Flannan’s Drive where the concept development is underway, the Lahinch Rd where concept development has been initiated and the Gort Rd where a concept development is expected to commence in the final quarter of 2023.
There has been a hiccup so far as plans for Latoon are concerned. “This project is on hold pending the outcome of a planning application by Irish Water for installation of pipework beneath the proposed route of the cycle track,” McDonagh outlined.
Speaking at the June meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said he was hopeful the Latoon project would not be stalled for too long, “there is an appetite for it to proceed”. He believed traffic difficulties at the Shanaway Rd junction could be eased by the introduction of a cycling lane and added, “a lot of people would be critical of what is in place in front of St Flannan’s College but I think it works well”.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) commented, “I know there is some stalling on Latoon stretch but we will have to keep persisting”.
Proposals for the Tulla Rd were highlighted by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) who requested an off carriage lane for buses as part of the plans for the Ennis town bus service. “The pedestrian follows the cyclist, then the car then the bus,” Cllr Murphy responded.
Funds in the region of €1.9m will be derived for the Tulla Rd Active Travel project, the Mayor outlined, “it is one of the first projects to help Ennis become a more sustainable town”. “I am supportive of the cycleway but there is sufficient room to have off carriage bus stops from the preliminary designs that I have seen,” Cllr Flynn replied. He flagged that 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles were using the road on a regular basis.
Location of the bus stops will be a matter for the NTA “and are beyond the scope of Ennis MD councillors,” senior executive officer Leonore O’Neill told the meeting.
