*Photograph: John Mangan
A driver feedback sign is to be erected on the main road in Newmarket-on-Fergus by the end of April.
What was formerly one of the busiest roads in the county prior to the M18, the Ennis Rd in Newmarket-on-Fergus will have a driver feedback sign in place by the end of April, senior executive engineer with the Shannon Municipal District, Tom Mellett has confirmed.
Newmarket-on-Fergus representative, Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) asked that speed signs be put in place “as a matter of urgency” by Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire “due to an increase in student levels and a steady rise in traffic”. Mellett responded by informing him that the driver feedback sign had been ordered.
Speaking at the January meeting of the Shannon MD, Cllr McMahon noted that Scoil na Maighdine Mhuire has developed into “a huge school”. “There are a lot of new housing schemes to be allocated so any increase in population needs to be prepared for. The amount of kids who use that on a regular basis, it has heavy usage, it is a wide road”.
McMahon continued “It was the old Ennis to Limerick road and it still has heavy traffic even though it runs in parallel with the motorway. Some people are totally unfamiliar with the road and some locals take it on themselves to use excessive speed”.
Access to the grounds of Newmarket Celtic FC also requires using the road, the Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD outlined. He told the meeting that the club has 25 teams of different age-groups and that one condition of the redevelopment works at McDonough Memorial Park was to allow school children during hours, “€250,000 was spent on the upgrade of the field,” he stated.
Support for the proposal was voiced by Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF). “It makes common sense to have speed signs near any primary school no matter what it is”.