“WE’RE KILLING OURSELVES with speeding,” Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) warned when seeking addition of traffic calming measures in Clancy Park.
Ongoing speeding was cited by Cllr Colleran Molloy in her appeal for measures to be introduced in Clancy Park.
Suitable traffic calming will be proposed if investigations find that such a move is justified, senior executive engineer of the Ennis Municipal District Paddy Tiernan advised. “We note that existing speed bumps are already in place along some of the route. Any proposed additional measure would likely involve additional speed bumps or ramps. We wish to advise that Section 38 approval is required for traffic calming measures. A funding source will also have to be identified for the scheme”.
Strips coming into the Ennis Town Council offices on Drumbiggle could be considered, Cllr Colleran Molloy suggested. She informed the November meeting of the Ennis MD that she and Tiernan had visited the area in question.
She continued, “It is not just in neighbourhoods, we’re killing ourselves with speeding in this country, we are seeing headline after headline of road deaths”. The Quin native admitted, “the reduction in speed zones is something I don’t necessarily agree with and I hope it is not a knee-jerk reaction”.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) commented. “This is an ongoing thing all throughout the town in residential areas of speeding in the roads and feeling unsafe, it shouldn’t be the case”.
When it comes to reducing speed in the interest of safety, funding sources must be found, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) believed. Similar sentiments were voiced by Cllr Paul Murphy (FG), “anywhere that speed can be brought down particularly where children are around is to be welcomed”.
Guilty parties are not residents of Clancy Park, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) flagged. “The main road in Clancy Park is used as a rat run for people to get onto Carmody St and into the town centre, they are speeding on the roads, people using it are not residents of the area”. Cllr Pat Daly (FF) stated, “it is a busy road and the traffic is going very fast, anything to slow the traffic would be useful”.
Responding to councillors, Tiernan admitted it was unlikely further ramps could be added. “The threshold for ramps on a public road is quite high and are expensive, they can only be installed where there is public lighting directly over them for safety reasons”. He said a low cost safety scheme can be put to the NTA next year, “I can’t guarantee it will be approved but it is part of the submission”.
