'Eight crashes' on temporary road surface near Trim

At least eight accidents have occurred on a stretch of the Trim-Athboy Road at Oakstown, outside Trim, where a temporary surface has been in place for 15 months, according to local county councillor Jimmy Fegan. He has said it is unacceptable that the final surface dressing on the road has not yet been completed. The Trim Fianna Fail councillor said he is aware of at least eight accidents which have occurred where cars have skidded on the temporary surface and that there may have been more. Cllr Fegan has accused Meath County Council of abusing legislation introduced following the tragic Kentstown bus crash in May 2005 which requires local authorities to introduce temporary speed limits where there is a temporary road surface in place and has claimed the council is prolonging the completion of works on some regional roads to a point that is "unacceptable and inexcusable". He said the council's road engineering section and the county manager have approved a large number of speed limit reductions on a number of strategic regional routes in south Meath, some of which have been in place and badly sign-posed for up to 15 months. Cllr Fegan said he has raised concerns with the area engineer in Trim on a number of occasions over the period, but had not received a satisfactory response, though he said he has been informed by the engineer that final surface dressing will be carried out in May. "I have had my fill of promises and excuses on this issue. Regional roads in my electoral area at Castlerickard, Baconstown and on the Trim-Athboy Road are unfinished and dangerous. That situation seems acceptable to some in the roads section of Meath County Council and in the Trim Area Office, but it is not acceptable to me. The council is hiding under legislation that was always meant to apply to temporary circumstances." The Trim FF councillor said the notice of speed limit reductions on the Trim-Athboy Road were placed on an acute bend where the road surface had been badly pot-holed and where drivers have "enough to contend with without having the observational skills to have regard for a few badly placed lollipop speed limit signs, and where the temporary 50km/h limit has been in place for 15 months," he said. In the past week, extra skid warning signs were erected but Cllr Fegan said they should have been put up as soon as the temporary surface was laid. In the past 15 months, Cllr Fegan said at least eight accidents have occurred within the restriction area and that two Eircom poles have been demolished and three cars have been written off. "Yet all I get from the local engineering section in Trim is a casual 'there are speed limits in place, it is a matter for law enforcement'. I am now calling time on such replies. My patience has run out, and unless I get a satisfactory response from the Meath County Manager within days, I will refer the matter to the Road Safety Authority (RSA)." In response, Meath County Council refuted any suggestion that it is abusing legislation to reduce speed limits during roadworks on regional roads and that the council is prolonging the completion of works on some regional roads. "The application of special speed limits on certain sections of rural roads was done in the interests of safety. This was necessitated by the fact that permanent road surfacing was not applied on these sections of road within the 'weather window of opportunity' in 2011. The council was obliged to apply the speed limit appropriate for unfinished road surfaces following consultation with the gardaí and in accordance with the relevant legislation," a spokesperson said. She added that, with the adoption of the Roadworks Programme for 2012, it is intended to commence work on the sections of road at the first available opportunity, weather permitting. "A review of signage has taken place in anticipation of the imminent surface dressing and additional signage has been erected and will be removed together with the temporary speed limit signs on completion of the works. The gardaí will be notified at this point and the general speed limit will then be reinstated," the spokesperson added.