SPEEDING outside the national school and playground in Kilkishen remains โ€œan issue the whole time,โ€ an elected representative has lamented while leading the call for speed ramps in the East Clare village.

Both Kilkishen National School and Kilkishen Playground are both located within the existing 50km/h speed limit on the L7088. A speed survey completed at the location in 2020 โ€œdid not reveal significant speeding issues,โ€ acting senior executive engineer in the Killaloe Municipal District, Derek Troy outlined.

Installation of speed ramps outside the school had been sought by Cllr Alan Oโ€™Callaghan (FF).

Troy said pedestrian safety measures had been undertaken โ€œin terms of controlled pedestrian crossings and footpath provisionโ€. He committed to carrying out a new speed survey to ascertain if the limit was โ€œsignificantly exceededโ€. He advised that a low cost safety scheme could be considered for next year if funding was granted.

Huge work has been done throughout Kilkishen with new footpaths and a road surface but speeding is โ€œan issue the whole timeโ€ around the school and footpath, Cllr Oโ€™Callaghan stated. He said there is only one speed ramp on the way to Tuamgraney but observed that going to Newmarket-on-Fergus or Shannon or the main road from Limerick to Cork via Buttevant โ€œthereโ€™s speed ramps on the main road and thereโ€™s thousands and thousands of cars and lorries travelling on it. There seems to be a reluctance to put in speed ramps, weโ€™ve done surveys and got flashing lights which are only a temporary fixโ€.

โ€œI feel I need to ask is there a reason we donโ€™t even look at putting a speed ramp in. Itโ€™s paramount whether school is in Shannon or Kilkishen. This is a local minor road, we need safety around our schools whether they are rural or city settlements. They donโ€™t cost too much money, I think they should be used more. Hopefully we can see something into the future and be done with it, something physical rather than visible is needed,โ€ he added.

Work of Clare County Council throughout Kilkishen was acknowledged by Cllr Joe Cooney (FG). โ€œThe speed of traffic is a big concern and there is no point saying it isnโ€™t a big concern. The same stumbling block keeps coming up the whole time,โ€ he remarked. Cooney recalled that the strong view of a public meeting in Kilkishen was to put a speed ramp at both ends of the village. โ€œMaybe An Garda Sรญochรกna could use their force to slow down traffic, if we have to go down that road then we have toโ€.

Mention of Buttevant brought Cllr Pat Burkeโ€™s mind to Caherconlosh, โ€œit is a busy regional road with speed limits, it has some severe ramps and by God they will slow you downโ€.

Staff in the road design office have been advised by the National Transport Authority that there was โ€œa push back against ramps in the last ten years but they are starting to be considered more and more now,โ€ the senior engineer replied. โ€œKilkishen may not be a suitable location unless the speed limits are extended. I agree that physical measures are the best way to slow people down,โ€ he added.

Acting senior executive officer, Morgan Lahiffe advised the meeting that there are road regulations on where you put speed ramps, โ€œthey canโ€™t be of a certain distance of a stop sign or a pedestrian crossing. Those regulations need to be adhered toโ€. Cllr Oโ€™Callaghan responded, โ€œthere is a ramp at the pedestrian crossing in Sixmilebridge, it seems to baffle meโ€.

Related News

killaloe ballina bridge 22-08-25 4
Old Killaloe Ballina bridge to be pedestrianised permanently
With Colin
Woman with rare skin condition releases autobiography
ann reynolds pat burke pat hayes conor ryan tony o'brien brian mccarthy 1
โ‚ฌ1m for Killaloe/Ballina enhancement plan but Crusheen rail stop misses out on funding
Galway_Minister5
Minister turns sod on โ‚ฌ23.6m housing scheme in Claregalway
Latest News
ennistymon esb power 15-10-25 3
Power outage in Ennistymon after transformer catches fire
killaloe ballina bridge 22-08-25 4
Old Killaloe Ballina bridge to be pedestrianised permanently
corofin v cooraclare 12-10-25 rg gearoid kelly cahill 1
'No better feeling that meeting the lads three times a week & going to the trenches' - Corofin captain Cahill
With Colin
Woman with rare skin condition releases autobiography
ann reynolds pat burke pat hayes conor ryan tony o'brien brian mccarthy 1
โ‚ฌ1m for Killaloe/Ballina enhancement plan but Crusheen rail stop misses out on funding
Premium
'No better feeling that meeting the lads three times a week & going to the trenches' - Corofin captain Cahill
McNamara keeps ร‰ire ร“g trucking along to new heights
Ennis farmer admits mistakes as only 19 cattle & zero sheep left on farm
Banner had 'no answer' for Kilmihil - O'Dea
Holiday cottage at Trump Doonbeg sells for โ‚ฌ850,000

Advertisement

Subscribe for just โ‚ฌ3 per month

If youโ€™re here, you care about County Clare. So do we. Did you rely on us for Covid-19 updates, follow our election coverage, or visit The Clare Echo every week for breaking news and sport? The Clare Echo invests in local journalism and we want to safeguard its future in our county. By becoming a subscriber you are supporting what we do, will receive access to all our premium articles and a better experience, while helping us improve our offering to you. Subscribe to clareecho.ie and get the first six months for just โ‚ฌ3 a month (less than 75c per week), and thereafter โ‚ฌ8 per month. Cancel anytime, limited time offer. T&Cs Apply. www.clareecho.ie.