RESIDENTS of two housing estates in County Limerick, who have been campaigning for a footpath to make it safe to walk between the two estates for 40 years, have started a petition after planning moves failed.
Money was approved by the local authority to construct a short footpath along the Newport Road between Grangewood and Rich Hill Woods, where school children have to climb a steep grass bank to avoid traffic on their way to and from the school bus.
Residents walking between the two estates say they take their lives in their hands on the road, particularly at times of darkness as there is no lighting.
But the proposed building of a footpath now will not go ahead because of issues relating to private land which would be required to be taken into local authority ownership in order to build the road.
Local resident JJ Ryan has been campaigning to get a footpath built on the road for years, and says that the stretch of road is “extremely dangerous”.
Mr Ryan, whose son was struck by the wing mirror of a passing car last year and suffered a broken arm, said that “there have been scores of near misses and accidents involving cars and pedestrians. It’s only a matter of time before someone is killed. Do we really have to wait for that to happen before something is done?”
Mr Ryan has started a petition to have the land necessary acquired by compulsory purchase order if necessary.
“If you are a local resident, or would like to support local residents, please consider signing our petition to have a footpath built to ensure the safety of the residents. This affects more than 200 local residents at least. Please reach out to anyone you know who can support us,” the petition wording says before going on to goes on to ask local people to share it as “far and wide as possible”.
The petition can be found online and signed on my.uplift.ie/petitions/newport-road-public-footpath-lighting.
