Residents demand road safety works at Kilmessan village

Residents of three housing estates in Kilmessan have called for works to improve safety around the Kilcarty Road junction, which they have described as "deadly dangerous".

Residents of the Glebe Hall, Bridge View, and Lambertstown estates say the area is extremely dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians, especially local people who have to walk into the village.

They say regular flooding in the area exacerbates the problem.

The residents are calling on the council to provide traffic lights and speed bumps and to carry out flood alleviation works to improve safety.

“The Kilcarty Road junction at the entrance to the village is unsafe and there is a huge volume of traffic using it daily,” said spokesperson, Desmond Keating,

“It is very busy. There is an awful lot of housing on that road as well as three stables and it is used all the time by people commuting to work.

“The junction is completely blind on both the Kilmessan and the Curtistown side.

“The bridge completely obstructs visibility on the Kilmessan side, while the Curtistown side is obstructed by a bend in the road near the junction. “Entering the village from the Kilcarty side is extremely dangerous.”

Mr Keating expressed concern for residents and visitors of the three estates who try to access the village on foot.

“There is not one safe place to cross the road to access the school or local shop from the entrance to Bridge View.

“We also face the same problem if we want to cross to the credit union.

“It is extremely hazardous on both sides.

“We believe the installation of traffic or pedestrian lights or speed bumps would be a huge help.

“It would increase safety for old and young accessing the village.”

He said the footpath at the Bridge View entrance is too narrow. “It is of no use to parents with buggies and it also obstructed by an ESB pole.”

Mr Keating said that the kerbs on the front row of Bridge view are all sunken with heavy vehicles parking there.

He also pointed out there is a major issue with flooding in the area. “We want the council to spore ground between Bridge View and the Kilcarty Road. During the winter, spring and autumn months, this area of ground is almost always flooded and is impassable. We feel that if there was proper drainage to stop the flooding and the area was fenced off and pedestrianised it would provide a dry safe footpath to the village for many who need it each day,” he said.

A spokesperson for Meath County Council said: “Council will continue to assess the issues raised, to establish if any specific interventions are required and if there are interventions required, what type would be suited to the identified location subject to funding being sourced”.