*Hermitage. Photograph: Páraic McMahon.
PARTS of Hermitage are to be turned into a cul-de-sac with a redesigned roadway to provide parking for residents and local businesses.
Officials in the Ennis Municipal District are in the process of preparing a Section 38 proposal for Hermitage Green in Ennis. This allows them in the interest of the safety and convenience of road users, provide such traffic calming measures as they consider desirable in respect of public roads in their charge.
It follows a joint proposal from Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF), Cllr Tommy Guilfoyle (SF) and Cllr Pat Daly (FF) which asked the Council “to examine and progress the conversion of the road on either side of Hermitage Green, adjacent to Our Lady’s Grotto, into a cul de sac, and to redesign the remaining roadway to provide structured, much needed parking for residents and local businesses”.
They said, “This residential, community focused area currently carries unnecessary through traffic, creating avoidable safety risks for pedestrians, families, elderly residents, and visitors. At the same time, there is a persistent shortage of parking, forcing vehicles into unsafe or unsuitable arrangements and placing pressure on residents and nearby businesses”.
By closing the road to through traffic, the trio argued that safety would be improved, “a valuable community amenity” would be maintained, congestion and non-local traffic would be reduced and practical parking would be provided for the local community. “This is a reasonable, proportionate, and long overdue measure that will directly enhance safety, accessibility, and quality of life in the Hermitage Green area”.
Acting senior executive engineer in the Ennis MD, Paddy Tiernan confirmed that staff had visited the area to examine the proposals outlined. “We agree that the measures proposed would provide significant benefit to the residents of the Hermitage area. A concept design has already been prepared, and with the assistance of the Elected Members, we would welcome the opportunity to present this design to local residents. Subject to local consensus, it is our intention to progress the project through the Section 38 process in the coming weeks”.
Preparation of a concept design was welcomed by Cllr Baker Bashua. “This is a residential community focus space,” the Hermitage native explained. “The roads either side of the green have been used as through routes which bring unnecessary traffic. The intention behind the notice of motion is straight forward, by redesigning it as cul de sac we can remove unnecessary through traffic and help businesses who face parking pressures”. She flagged, “it is not about restricting access but making use more appropriate”.
Reducing traffic and bringing in the cul-de-sac “would have a knock-on effect for the whole area,” she said. “The cars coming past Hermitage won’t be there, they’d have to go the long way to get there, I feel very positive, I use it all the time and it nearly hurts if I have to go around another way, it only affects twenty houses either side”.
An increasing amount of young people with children are relocating to Hermitage which also has a lot of gradparents living in the area, Cllr Guilfoyle highlighted. “The front of the estate should be a place for them to play but that part has been consumed as one of the main roads of the town for people going to Kilmaley, Miltown Malbay and other parts of our county”. He added, “this would allow the area to be a housing estate again and allow householders to have use of the green area and not be used as a through road”.
Moves within the Council to back the proposal was “very positive,” Cllr Daly stated. “The motion is seeking to examine the road on either side of Hermitage Green, the local residents are tired of the extra traffic using the road. It would provide significant benefit to residents of Hermitage and its environs”.
Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) commented, “I live very near the area and wholly support the motion”. She continued, “You have young families and older residents who take great pride in their homes. The grotto is a super job but from a health and safety point of view this is a great resolution”.
Voicing his support, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) remarked, “It is very well thought out, I am delighted with the reply, it is a wonderful community in Hermitage, young people want to come back to live there”.
