Council urged to pinpoint where road safety measures are needed in Laytown/Bettystown

An assessment to pin point areas where road safety measures need to be introduced in the Laytown/Bettystown area is urgently needed according to a local councillor.

Sinn Fein Cllr Maria White tabled a motion calling on Meath County Council to complete an assessment as to where pedestrian crossings and other road safety measures are required in the area to address ongoing health and safety concerns, particularly in areas of high traffic density and population increase and to develop a plan for delivering the required measures.

The local authority responded by saying that the council carried out an assessement and review of pedestrian crossings in the Laytown and Bettystown Walking and Cycling Study originally published in 2014 and reviewed in 2021. They said the study had an action plan with ranked priorities identified and that Meath County Council were endeavouring to progress these as funding and resources permitted.

There hasn't been a lot of progress in relation to pedestrian crossings,” said White. “We have had a lot of housing estates built since 2021 as well that were not part of the original report,” she added.

“I just think it needs an update now, it's kind of like historic at this stage. And so would there be any chance, please, on an updated assessment on that report?”

Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan said she thought Meath County Council's response was “disingenuous.”

“ I think the report on identifying pedestrian crossings is completely separate to walking and cycling initiatives which is what the initial report was drafted to do and they haven't really updated it very well,” said Tolan.

“The Tara Road was the biggest focus at that stage for funding and also in resources with staff,” she added.

“First of all, procuring the land, the CPO process, the design and planning, the tender process and construction, that all takes an awful long time.

“But the question really is, in relation to pedestrian crossings, we have a very serious issue right across the district, but particularly in the Laytown, Bettystown and Mornington area where people are required from high density populations to cross the road to get public transport.”

Tolan said it was “an embarrassment” watching elderly people and children trying to negotiate crossing the road at dangerous locations.

“We're seeing chunks of children trying to cross the road. We've seen older people, you know, actually running to navigate traffic to try to cross the road. Even up there at Mosney, my God, it's actually mortifying trying to see somebody run across the road, pushing a buggy and not knowing what speed a car is approaching them at.

“It is an embarrassment to see how difficult it seems to be for people to try to get across the road safely when they're doing something as good as using public transport.”

The Fine Gael Cllr added that a proper assessment needs to be carried out with traffic counters on the roads.

“22,000 vehicles pass Mosney and how anyone is meant to cross the road to get home is beyond me with that amount of traffic every single day. I do think there is strong merit in having a proper assessment and identifying key locations where the pedestrian crossings are.”

Independent Cllr Carol Lennon said there are places in East Meath where “you cannot cross the road without taking your life in your hands hoping that the driver is not distracted. We do need a crossing at Inse Bay and we do need a crossing on the Eastham Road between Tesco and McDonagh's car park.”

The motion was passed and the meeting was told that a review of the report will carried out.