Speed control measure sought for Kilmessan Village

The ongoing issue of dangerously speeding traffic in Kilmessan and a terrifying recent incident in the village were recounted in the Seanad last week.

Senator Linda Nelson Murray called for speed control measures in the village and recalled a particularly recent dangerous incident.

"This a local issue that is relevant to every village and town in the country, that is the dangerous issue of the speed of traffic and the potential for fatalities.

"There is a particular issue in Kilmessan village. I will refer to a message I received while I was having a lovely St Patrick's Day. The message stated that at 8.15pm on St Patrick's Day, my correspondent noticed a vehicle acting erratically.

"It sped through the village and was on both sides of the road, swerving from one side to the other. The driver conducted three handbrake manoeuvres through the village, leaving tyre marks on the road. There were ten people, including children, on the paths at the time. I cannot imagine what might have happened if the car had lost control and hit some of the people who were on the paths."

Senator Murray said that for three years, residents in Kilmessan village have been asking Meath County Council to put speed control measures into the village.

"I cannot blame Meath County Council for not doing so. This village has a population of 1,000 people. To put speed control measures into villages, you need to pass traffic surveys, which are generally done during the day when it is nice and bright. Drivers can see the people who are doing the surveys and slow down. Surveys are not done at weekends or at night time.

"In order for the council to get the money to put in speed control measures, it needs to pass a survey. We need to ask the Minister for Transport to consider other ways to provide more funding for better speed control measures in small villages, as we see in the rest of the country, to prevent fatalities. It is becoming a serious issue. For a village to be asking for this for three years is too much. The residents can see the issues and somebody will suffer a big accident," she warned.

Meath County Council was asked for comment.