THE END may be in sight for residents who have waged a 40 year battle to have a footpath laid to join their two estates and prevent schoolchildren having to walk on a deadly stretch of road to get the bus to school.
James Ryan, whose son was hit by a car and suffered a broken shoulder while walking on the road between Grangewood and Richill Wood estates, and residents of both estates want the footpath before someone is killed.
“We’ve been fighting for this for 40 years. There are 80 children who have to walk on the side of the road to get the school bus as there is a steep embankment and no place for pedestrians to go,” James told the Limerick Post.
The residents have been in contact with local representatives, including Green Party TD Brian Leddin and Councillor Sean Hartigan who have established that one of the hold-ups in getting the work done is that it would require work on the perimeter stone wall of Richill House, which is a protected structure.
They have been working with the owners of the property to see how the path can be progressed.
Good news came for residents this week, delivered by the council in answer to a query from Fianna Fáil Deputy Willie O’Dea.
Mike Richardson, Senior Executive Engineer with the council said: “We are aware of this concern and have placed a new footpath scheme for Grangewood and Richhill/Newport Road on our list for potential Active Travel projects for next year”.
“There will be a significant amount of funding required however as there will be new road boundary agreement required with the landowner, an existing stone wall will need to be relocated and there will be the challenge of a differential level between existing road and existing property to overcome at the same boundary
“However pending approval of funding from the National Transport Authority, we would hope to proceed with this scheme in 2023.”
