Local politician warns 'other towns not to make the same mistake' we made in Kilkenny

Kilkenny Senator, Malcom Noonan has called on Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and at the Department of Transport, Jerry Buttimer to 'be brave' and to lead local authorities on re-allocation of road space and to design villages, towns and cities 'for people, not just for cars.'

The former Green Party TD for Carlow-Kilkenny also highlighted a local example where he felt the wrong measures were implemented, claiming the write approach going forward could be life saving.

"I also warned other towns not to make the same mistake that we made in Kilkenny, ploughing a through road for cars and trucks through the heart of the old city," Mr Noonan remarked.

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"Yesterday in my contribution on road safety statements in the Seanad, I put one name to the statistics of vulnerable road users (cyclists, pedestrians) killed on our roads.

"Barbara Gill was taken too soon from her partner Ruth, their child and family back in 2007. She was a wonderful woman, an educator, development worker, human rights activist and environmentalist," he commented.

"There are so many families around the country grief stricken over the loss of a loved one on our roads," the Kilkenny native continued.

"Senators from across the house urged Government to continue to invest in cycling, walking and public transport, penalise bad driving and reduce speed. A useful debate but we need a fully functioning Dáil now to get on with the task at hand," he concluded.

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