*Finnangh Junction.
REPORTS of incidents and near misses have been common place for decades at Finnangh Junction linking Ennis to the Quin Rd but an increase in vehicular traffic has also been reported since the opening of the nearby Banner Plaza.
Known locally as Frank Lynch’s Cross and Plunkett’s Road, there has been “a long history of accidents” along the route used by many motorists as a rat run.
Traffic lights have been cited as a more cost effective solution to widening the road by senior engineers in Clare County Council.
In a proposal before the Ennis Muncipal District, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) called on the local authority to “endeavour to improve safety” at the junction. He stated, “There have been increased reports of ‘near misses’ at this junction in recent months and I believe that provision of rumble strips, additional advance VMS signage and improved chevron signage can help in making this junction safer for all road users”.
Acting senior engineer in the Ennis MD, Paddy Tiernan confirmed they had “received reports of incidents and near misses at this junction. We suspect there also has been an increase in vehicular traffic in the area due to the recent opening of the Banner Plaza at Junction 12 on the M18. As a result of increased reports of incidents and near misses Ennis MD have already taken action. An assessment of the existing junction has been carried out and there has been numerous visits by engineering staff to the junction in both daytime and night-time conditions”.
Tiernan advised, “There are two main issues with the junction, poor alignment and lack of awareness due to darkness/poor reflectivity with motorists not realising they have to stop especially when approaching the cross from the Doora direction. To resolve the junction alignment issue is a significant challenge and would involve the purchase of lands. A project of this nature would prove very costly and we suspect a more economically viable long-term solution would be to install traffic lights at this junction”.
Council staff have already increased signage at the junction with reflective bollards installed, Tiernan confirmed. Illuminated road studs have also been installed along with refreshed line marking. “We have also ordered replacement signage as the reflectivity of existing signage is poor. We have also organised for the existing broken down driver feedback sign to be repaired,” he added.
Motorists traversing Finnagh Junction can head to Ennis, Doora or East Clare, Cllr Murphy noted. “It has a long history of accidents, there was a fatality between ten to twenty years ago,” he recalled. “Coming onto Quin Rd from the Doora side, people aren’t aware that they need to stop and heed a junction, there have been a lot of near-misses and collisions. In recent weeks one of the detectives in town his wife was in a serious accident, he was in touch with me. I welcome Paddy’s response, there is plenty going on there in terms of improving the visibility of the cross, putting down stud markings on the road, repairing VMS signage, it is all to be welcomed,” the Mayor of Clare outlined.
Cllr Murphy queried if the provision of traffic lights would come from the Council’s budget or from national funding. “Either or,” replied the engineer. “I suspect it will be cheaper than realigning the junction with private lands etc, our first port of call is through our normal funders”. Pursuing traffic lights “would be the real solution,” Cllr Murphy maintained.
Seconding the proposal, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) commented, “the area is impacted by the Plaza which has created more activity”. Cllr Pat Daly (FF) noted, “it is a very busy four-cross road junction, do whatever it takes to make it safer”.
