Urgent measures needed for Laytown road safety issues

At this month’s meeting of the Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District, Fine Gael Councillor Sharon Tolan had unanimous support for her motion calling for urgent measures to address ongoing road safety issues in Laytown.

Tolan told officials that despite the Laytown and Bettystown Walking and Cycling Study first being completed in 2015, that little or no progress has been made to deliver much needed pedestrian and cycling facilities in the Laytown area.

“Road safety is of major concern, and even crossing the road anywhere in Laytown is both challenging and dangerous" she said.

"I recently had our Road Safety Officer, Mick Finnegan out in the area to demonstrate the difficulties people are having around Laytown.

“It is awful to see the public having to run across the road at certain sections such as Inse Bay, Highfield and the Laytown public car park near the train station.

"I am delighted with the progress we have made elsewhere, delivering footpaths, pedestrian crossings and traffic calming measures throughout East Meath, but a major effort needs to now be made to address these issues in Laytown. I will be working with the Transportation team to ringfence funding and get a plan in place as soon as possible.”

Tolan’s motion was unanimously supported and adopted: “To call on Meath Co Council to urgently address the many road safety issues in the village of Laytown, where cyclists and pedestrians are seriously at risk every day, and to deliver traffic calming measures, a walking and cycling plan, and install safe pedestrian crossings at Inse Bay Estate, Highfield Estate and the Laytown Car Park as a matter of urgency.”