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19 Feb 2026
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19 Feb 2026
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Main Street in Bagnelstown and (inset) Cllr Thomas Kinsella. Photo: Google Maps.
A number of Bagenalstown residents have made complaints over Carlow County Council’s policy of narrowing junctions in the town.
Fine Gael councillor Thomas Kinsella spoke on the subject at the council’s February plenary meeting.
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Cllr Kinsella said: “I’ve been getting a lot of representations and possibly even complaints, particularly about Bagenalstown and the Safe Routes to School [Programme].
“There has been a lot of concrete put down and things like that. One of the major problems that they have is every single junction has been narrowed in.”
He added that he was unable to provide a reason for the changes in his response to these constituents.
He also stated that one man had complained about flower beds being put in in places where junctions are being narrowed.
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Cllr Kinsella continued: “I suppose with the Safe Routes to School [Programme] there has been a lot of concrete put in but I’m hoping that it will work as it should.
“I’ve seen no evidence of it yet but the biggest complaint is the junctions. Every junction where works have been done they’re being narrowed in quite a lot.”
In response, Coilín O’Reilly, Chief Executive of Carlow County Council, said that narrowing junctions is part of the Safe Routes to School Programme.
Mr O’Reilly said: “What we’re trying to do with the Safe Routes to Schools, if you narrow a junction, it makes it much safer.
“You also have sightlines of old people, children crossing the road and that’s part of when you try to make a place safer.
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“It does slow down traffic, that’s a given. It does make drivers try to look and think, that’s part of what we’re trying to do.
“You take cars away from the junction so the driver can see it and that’s what the planting [of flowers] is for.”
The exchange took place amid a wider discussion on Carlow County Council’s Annual Service Delivery Plan 2026.
After much deliberation, the plan was unanimously approved by all councillors present at the meeting.,
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