*Traffic congestion in Kilrush. Photograph: Páraic McMahon
A requested traffic survey to determine the use of Clare’s road network is not needed, senior officials in the local authority have said.
Both Clare County Council and the TII were asked by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) to work in conjunction to complete “a comprehensive road traffic survey”. His motion to the December meeting of the Council sought Clare’s “entire road network” be included in the survey. “The Traffic Counter Data collected will provide valuable information in identifying requirements for infrastructural improvements on these routes; which in turn will help to alleviate bottlenecks which motorists are currently experiencing at peak times travelling to and from work”.
Senior executive engineer in the road design section of the local authority in a written response pointed out, “Clare County Council has a considerable amount of traffic data on file for the road network in Clare which has been gathered since 1989. Traffic surveys are undertaken for use on design projects and has on occasions also been supplied to the NTA and TII when requested. TII already has a network of permanent traffic counters in Clare with counters on the National Primary and National Secondary Routes”.
As he argued the merits of the motion, Cllr Keating maintained that the information would be “very useful in identifying future road networks”. He added, “It would be valuable information for bus, rail and transport companies to maybe consider their services and give motorists options to travel on public transport, there is no bus in Kilkee before 9am”.
“We had requested at one point information on the speed limit change be forwarded to us,” Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) commented in relation to the N68 Ennis to Kilrush Rd. “Cllr Keating is trying to give us a picture on which roads are busy,” he explained.
John Leahy, senior engineer within the roads and transportation department of the Council told them such data was in the hands of the local authority. He advised that traffic from primary and secondary routes was available from TII.
