‘It’s not the Isle of Man TT’ — residents call for action on road in Kilkenny
Residents along a stretch of the R704 in Mullinavat have raised serious concerns over speeding traffic, road safety, inadequate signage and other issues at a district council meeting in Kilkenny
Residents along a stretch of local road in Mullinavat are at their wits' end with driver behaviour, and made their feelings known to councillors during a deputation at a recent meeting of Piltown Municipal District.
Peter McDonald, Sean Maher and Orla Dunphy told councillors that residents on the R704 are particularly concerned about speeding vehicles and road safety in the area.
The stretch of road in question begins directly after the motorway exit at Mullinavat towards New Ross where much of the traffic is requested to transition from 120km/h to 60km/h.
The 60km/h speed limit was introduced on the road following a former period of campaigning well over a decade ago.
Peter McDonald noted that the current speed transition ‘presents a significant road safety challenge’ which is exacerbated by insufficient physical and psychological clues as well as the limited or ‘non-existent’ enforcement of speed limit legislation on the route.
He floated possible suggestions for action including the introduction of rumble strips, public engagement, improved signage and greater enforcement.
He further noted instances where large vehicles such as trucks end up on the road by mistake seeing ‘New Ross’ on the motorway exit sign and thinking it will take them onto the N25, when this isn’t the case, and could be better communicated.
Orla Dunphy highlighted the ‘health and safety risk’ along the road, stating that people used to be able to walk along the road and even bring buggies, but that this is ‘no longer possible’.
She added that loose barriers along the road are ‘not serving their purpose’, raised further concern over the adequacy of the existing signage, and called for the 60km/h speed limit to be extended for another kilometer.
“We are looking for change and we won’t stop ‘til we get it,” she stated.
Sean Maher further added to calls for action, stating that ‘Kilkenny County Council have to step in and do something’.
He also stated that the dimensions of the road hadn’t changed much since its upgrade shortly after The Great Famine, and further raised concern about the footpath from the M9 to the village of Millinavat.
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“There’s 44 houses on the road and they are all looking for something to be done,” he said.
A number of pictures were also presented by the residents to those at the meeting, and a video was played to councillors of a vehicle speeding down the road at night.
Such was the noise from the vehicle in the video, resident Peter McDonald remarked wittingly that ‘it’s not the Isle of Man TT’.
Following the presentation from the residents, the councillors present acknowledged the issues of the road.
Cllr Tomás Breathnach told the meeting that in preparation for the deputation, he spent an hour walking the road in the night.
He stated he was surprised by the increase of traffic since 2010, and added that he certainly would not walk it ‘without a hi vis’.
Area Engineer John Tennyson subsequently told councillors that the first thing to be undertaken will be ‘a traffic and speed survey’.
“Once we get the traffic surveys, we will have to give the data to An Garda Síochána as speed enforcement is their responsibility,” he said.
He acknowledged that the existing signage ‘might be causing ambiguity’ and stated that a representation can be made to Transport Infrastructure Ireland on the matter.
Adding to this, he stated that ‘perhaps a driver feedback sign after the roundabout’ would be a useful intervention, acknowledging that a speed limit change ‘would require a by-law’.
“We can look into it and see if it would be merited with the road design office,” he added.
Detailed feedback is expected to be presented to the residents (via the deputation party) within the next month.