Calls for pedestrian safety measures at Slane Bridge

Safety measures need to be put in place to ensure pedestrian safety on Slane Bridge according to local Cllr Wayne Harding.

Harding put forward a motion at this morning's Laytown/Bettystown Municipal meeting calling on Central Transportation and the TII to investigate the introduction of bollards on the western side of the bridge along the outside rim of the pedestrian lane to ensure a short term safety measure for pedestrian users of the bridge.

"Slane Tidy Towns had a suggestion tent set up in the village a couple of weeks ago and one of the suggestions was about the existing bridge down to the river," he said.

Cllr Harding suggested erecting bollards on the western side of the bridge exiting the car park along the walk way to a pedestrian crossing at the bottom of the hill where he said with a low cost safety scheme would "corral pedestrians away from the very dangerous traffic that uses the bridge 24 hours a day 7 days a week."

"It makes perfect sense to somehow separate pedestrians who will use that bridge in increasing numbers throughout the summer and improve safety for pedestrians who are going to be on the bridge. Something could happen at any moment on the bridge," he added.

"Walking is now the biggest sport in Ireland bar none and everyday there is a serious amount of people crossing the bridge. You would fear for the safety of pedestrians," added Cllr Paddy Meade.