Ashbourne residents express frustration at ongoing cycleway works

An Ashbourne resident has vented her frustration over the ongoing roadworks on the R135 Cycle Network scheme in the town, which were due to take nine months but are now ongoing for over two years. Businesses and locals are all suffering due to the traffic chaos that have become the norm since the roadworks began.

Susanne Carey lives at Barronstown, on the road behind the Pillo Hotel, where works are now taking place and told how she spent 25 minutes in a queue waiting to turn out on to the R135 last week because of the works.

"The works have moved to the industrial estate at the back of the Pillo Hotel. "I was 25 minutes trying to get out on the road. Trucks leaving the industrial estate don't have enough road to swing out and if they meet another one, one has to stop."

On another occasion she said an ambulance couldn't overtake traffic as there isn't any space for cars to pull in to let them by.

"It is just a disaster. Businesses are suffering. I know myself I would be quicker to go to Swords or Drogheda than to try go into Ashbourne. Every evening people are complaining on the Ashbourne Notice Board on Facebook. "It has gone way over budget and was due to finish in June 2023 and is now well over schedule. They have put in wider footpaths and cycles lanes and raised flower beds but this has meant the road is much narrower and you can barely get through."

Susanne said that for traffic coming from the industrial estate, there used to be room for two lanes, one for those turning to Ashbourne and the other for those going for the N2 but because of the footpaths now there is only room for one.

"I was waiting 25 minutes. I work in Bray and I was late for work two morning because of it. It is a complete joke. People are fed up. Enough is enough. We want to know what is going on and when the works will be finished."