by Alan Jacques
LABOUR Party councillor Conor Sheehan has called for safety measures on the Dublin Road and a review of the operation of the traffic lights.
Cllr Sheehan urged the local authority to review the operation and sequencing of the traffic lights at the junction between the Dublin Road and the Old Park Road by St Patrick’s Girls School and at the junction of the Dublin Road and St Patrick’s Road.
At this month’s Metropolitan District meeting, he also called on the Council to seek National Transport Authority (NTA) funding for additional road safety measures at this location.
“There are a number of safety issues in relation to the Dublin Road that need to be addressed. Every junction from the Parkway Roundabout through to the junction with the Old Park Road is hazardous,” Cllr Sheehan claimed.
“While I am glad to hear the Council acknowledge that there is a significant issue with motorists running red and amber lights on the Dublin Road, the Council in my view should apply to the NTA for funding for safety measures to address the issues on the road.
“A local primary school parents association should not have to erect signs at the traffic lights saying amber means slow down and red means stop before action is taken on this. As someone who lives in Lower Park, I have lost count of the number of near misses I have had with errant motorists running traffic lights on the Dublin Road.”
The country, the City North representative maintains, is awash with funding for safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists.
“If it the Council were to apply to the NTA even a number of simple measures to tighten corners would help slow the traffic on the Dublin Road.
“We were given a previous commitment that traffic lights would be installed at the Parkway Roundabout, which is another significant hazard on the Dublin Road and totally hostile to pedestrians and cyclists, and to date no progress has been made.
“I am imploring the Council to take action soon before there is a serious accident on the Dublin Road,” he concluded.
