Fear of fatalities as frequency of crashes at black spot increase

Residents of the Mullingar Road in Kells say they are taking their lives in their hands every time they leave their homes, because of speeding traffic and poor visibility in the area.

Residents of the Caliaghstown and Balrath areas are terrified that somebody will be killed and have spoken about the frequency and severity of the accidents that have occurred on that stretch of road.

They have renewed their calls for traffic calming measures following a recent accident in which a young woman was badly injured and a local woman was lucky she wasn't killed when a car crashed into her gate just moments before she went to open it.

Fears have been expressed for the safety of young people waiting for school buses on the road and for local drivers leaving their homes who have very poor visibility..

Two people have already died in accidents in the area, and there have been countless collisions and near misses over the years.

Hannah Walsh's gate and pillars have been hit by cars three times in horrifying collisions and on two occasions family members escaped being killed by seconds..

A recent accident two weeks ago saw a young woman injured when her car crashed into Hannah's gate.

"The recent accident took place at around 7.30am. I normally leave for work around that time. The gate, pillars and fence were knocked. A few seconds later and I would have been getting out of my car to open the gate. It was terrifying."

Four years ago Hannah's teenage daughter had a very lucky escape when a car ploughed through the driveway of their family home just minutes after she had gone back into the house in from outside.

Just a few months before that another car had also ploughed into the gate and pillars.

"It has happened three times now. My teenage daughters stand there waiting for the school bus. I cannot let them do it anymore, I will have to bring them to school myself," she said.

"The road is extremely dangerous and there is constant speeding. Somebody was killed outside my neighbour's house 20 years ago and a there was another fatality around four years ago.

"It is frightening leaving our driveways as the visibility is very bad and cars are coming at speed," she said.

Her neighbour, Trevor Murray, said there have been numerous very serious accidents. "The road is just so dangerous and people coming out of the entrances to their homes are taking their lives in their hands. It is so bad, when the firemen get a call that there is an accident on this road, they know exactly where to come."

Lisa Smith said the area is a horrendous black spot. "There is very poor visibility and when a car drives out of an entrance, the traffic is on top of them.

“We have had a huge number of accidents including fatalities. We need traffic calming measures before more lives are lost."

"My brother lives next door. He has special needs and a bus comes to collect him to bring him to work each day. It is terrifying to think of an accident while he is waiting or getting into the bus."

Pamela Smith said the road is lethal. "When you are leaving the house, you cannot see any distance along the road. I have often gone out and had to reverse quickly back in.

"The problems are getting worse. It is very busy and the traffic travels fast.

There is a 60km speed limit, but the only people who observe it are locals, We have two big roundabouts nearby that don't help. It is very worrying."

Conni Murray said they have been campaigning for years for traffic calming measures. I grew up here and I remember my mother campaigning when I was at school for lower speed limits.

"It is so dangerous. We have small children living on the road and we have teenagers waiting for school buses. It is not acceptable.

"We have had fatalities and it is only a matter of time before there is another unless something is done."

Deputy Darren O'Rourke said that traffic calming measures had been through the planning process and what was now needed was funding.

"This community has been forced for a long time to fight their corner. It seems incredible at a time when there is an increase in road deaths and increased spending on road safety that funding has not yet been secured for this project. I have contacted the Minister, The Department and Transport for Ireland and will continue to push for this funding and I ask the government representatives for this area to do the same, “ the Meath East TD stated.