LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Crossing this Kilkenny road is risky business - do we need a lollipop lady?

Dear Editor,

I am writing to you in relation to the pedestrian crossing on the Freshford Road near Banim Terrace. Anyone familiar with the area will know that both the Loreto and St Canice's school have access from this road.

The pedestrian crossing has been upgraded in recent times. There are no longer lights at the crossing but the crossing is still clearly a crossing. Nevertheless, it is a risky business crossing this road.

Take this morning, for example - the car townward bound stopped allowing myself and the children to cross but before we got halfway I could see a Mercedes, coming from town direction, accelerating quickly as he had a clear road in front of him, then at the last second he looked up and screeched to a halt. This wasn't a young man driving before anyone jumps to conclusions. And while the last child was still on the crossing he was already driving on.
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And on my return journey I stood at the pedestrian crossing, (note, I am not inconspicuous), a tractor pulling a trailer sailed right on through with the driver looking me in the face as he drove on oblivious to it all. Thankfully there were no children crossing from the other side at the time.

This is not a once off, the crossing is dangerous and is an accident waiting to happen. Some very young, junior infant children are crossing here.

I am not an expert on road engineering but surely the powers that be in Kilkenny County Council can come up with a safer solution to crossing the road that can ensure that careless motorists do not prevail.
Does the lolipop lady need to be reinstated?

Yours sincerely,
Finbar Casey
Kilkenny