‘I try to be independent, but when you meet so many obstacles, it knocks your confidence’

With work due to start on Kennedy Place in Navan later this year, a plea has gone out to Meath County Council to ensure that provision is made for people with vision impairment, during the work and in the finished project.

Kennedy Place is particularly difficult to negotiate for anyone who is partially sighted, according to Amy Ryan who is visually impaired.

“I am hoping that when this new work is carried out that they will take us into consideration.”

Amy is not looking forward to the work starting.

“When there was work in the centre of town last year, the layout was changing day by day,” she said.

“I'm dreading when the work starts on Kennedy Place.”

The car park at Kennedy Place is one of the worse areas around Navan for people with visual impairments, according to Amy.

“It is quite difficult to get around. It has got worse in recent years, but Kennedy Place is very difficult.

“It is a nightmare with grey paving everywhere, no colour contrast for steps or tactile markings. You cannot distinguish steps.

“Crossing from Dunnes Stores to the other side, I've lost count of the amount of times I've nearly been hit or walked into cars, damaging my cane.

“Cars park in yellow boxes or in the middle of what is supposed to be a pedestrian crossing, when there's no markings, Other drivers just park in non-existent spaces wherever they like.

“That's just the centre of town, the problems elsewhere are just as bad for the vision impaired like myself,” she said.

Amy, who lives in Balreask Village is 27 and has been using a cane since she was 15.

“It wasn't always as hard to get around Navan.

“I used to walk into town on my own, but in the last few years, I need to be driven in or have somebody with me. I've had too many near misses.

“They removed the pedestrian traffic lights at the Solstice junction and put in a zebra crossing.

“Now the cars don't necessarily stop, one car might stop but the car coming the opposite direction, keeps going.

“We got in touch with the council when that was proposed, but were just told that the cars would stop.

“I cannot use the Town Bus Service because there is no way I can get across the road to get back into my estate on the return journey. “There is no pedestrian crossing of any kind there, and the traffic is starting to speed up at that point.

“It is the same at Abbey Road if I want to get a bus to Dublin, there is no pedestrian crossing.”

Other problems Amy encounters are cars parking on the footpath, particularly near St Anne's School, Market Square and Ludlow Street as well as bins on the footpaths.

“It was easier to get around in the past, but it has got more difficult. I try to be independent, but when you meet so any obstacles, it knocks your confidence,” she said.

Allie Reilly who lives in Claremont is also visually impaired and has a guide dog named Evie.

“I’m certainly not looking forward to the work starting in the centre of the town,” she said.

“It is very difficult to get around Navan as it is.

“If it wasn't for Evie, I'd be very nervous about going out.

“Kennedy Place is particularly bad – the cars are parked everywhere and poor Evie doesn't know where to go.

“Cars park in what is supposed to a pedestrian crossing. I find Evie zigzagging around as she’s trying her best to help me avoid them. “There are always cars reversing and there are no colour contrasts or tactile markings.

“I've had several near misses with reversing cars.”

Allie said there needs to be a pedestrian crossing or ramps near Tierneys at Trimgate Street and the link from Trimgate Street to Kennedy Place beside Dunnes Stores has loose stones.

“I've caught my foot on them once or twice,” she said.

“Walking around the town can be a nightmare with cars parking on footpaths as well as advertising signs and bins on the footpath. It is very difficult to navigate,” she said.

Allie and Amy's comments come just weeks after Cllr Emer Tóibín tried to negotiate her way around Kennedy Place wearing 'cataract simulation glasses' supplied by the National Council for the Blind Ireland.

"Walking around Kennedy Place with the glasses was quite an experience. I began to realise what people with impaired vision have to deal with.

"I have a long list of hazards, which I have to give to the council and I have spoken to our engineer about some inexpensive measures that can be undertaken immediately," she said.

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