*Photograph: Natasha Barton
AN OBJECTION has been lodged by residents of Hermitage, Old Mill Rd and Cornmarket Street over proposals in the draft Ennis local transport plan.
Aspects of the plan have been met with staunch criticism from local residents and business owners, including the proposal for the Mill Rd to become a one-way traffic system for vehicles and bicycles.
On Wednesday morning, business people and concerned locals united in protest over the proposal to make the Mill Rd a one-way system.
Residents of Hermitage, Cornmarket Street and Old Mill Rd have submitted an objection to the Ennis Municipal District over the proposed one-way system with Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) a resident of Hermitage assisting in the submission.
Correspondence from the residents has been obtained by The Clare Echo. “If the Ennis local transport plan implements proposed changes to make Carmody street a one way system we the residents strongly feel it will cause severe congestion in our neighbourhoods of Hermitage and Old Mill street where delivery trucks as large as 52 feet who would be delivering to local business daily would have to use the neighbouring residential area of Old Mill street. By making Carmody street a one way system you are creating traffic congestion by shifting traffic on to a residential street.
“Also Diverting traffic onto residential streets can be disruptive, and unsafe especially to children playing on the green area in Hermitage so in closing a one-way system in this area will affect the safety of both residents and drivers and will limit access for larger vehicles, this will impact local businesses who are reliant on deliveries to stock their stores”.
Submissions or observations on the Ennis Local Transport Plan can be made up until Friday (June 27th). The consultation period began on May 16th. An in-person event was facilitated by members of the project team at the Ennis Civic Room in Waterpark House for two hour sessions (5pm to 7pm) from Monday May 19th to Friday May 23rd.
Public consultation boards, information and maps and supporting documents, including the draft Ennis Local transport Plan itself have been available for viewing at Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis since Monday May 26th during normal working hours.
