Kilkenny traffic fury escalates as officials accused of 'twiddling thumbs'

Leas Ceann Comhairle and Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, John McGuinness, has sharply criticised Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for what he describes as “a failure to act” on worsening traffic congestion at the Bennettsbridge Roundabout in Kilkenny.

Deputy McGuinness said the current situation at Blackquarry is “untenable,” with daily tailbacks causing significant disruption for motorists, commuters, and local businesses.

“TII are effectively twiddling their thumbs while motorists are left to endure chaos morning and evening. This situation is not sustainable and requires immediate intervention,” he said.

The controversy stems from recent road layout changes introduced to accommodate cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, which reduced traffic from two lanes to one on approach to the roundabout.

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According to Deputy McGuinness, this has led to dangerous driving behaviour, with motorists using hatch markings as unofficial overtaking lanes, resulting in garda enforcement and fines.

“The gardaí are simply doing their job, but the reality is that motorists have been forced into this position by a flawed design that has failed to take account of real traffic volumes,” he added.

In a series of detailed exchanges with TII, Deputy McGuinness stated that sought clarity on how the project was designed and approved.

The responses, according to McGuinness, "confirmed that while a safety issue was identified in 2020, no traffic modelling was carried out to assess the impact of the new layout on traffic flow at the roundabout."

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"It is extraordinary that such a significant alteration to a major access route could proceed without any proper traffic modelling," he said.

"This is a basic requirement in any infrastructure project of this scale.

"The correspondence also highlights a lack of clear accountability between TII and Kilkenny County Council, with both bodies involved in the design, approval, and delivery of the scheme.

"We now have a situation where TII point to the Council, and the Council point back to TII. Meanwhile, the people of Kilkenny are left sitting in traffic with no resolution in sight."

He also raised safety concerns regarding a damaged kerb at the roundabout, which has resulted from vehicles mounting it due to tight turning conditions, an issue he says was "acknowledged by TII but still unresolved."

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Deputy McGuinness is now calling for urgent and coordinated action, stating that TII and Kilkenny County Council "must immediately come together, review this scheme, and implement practical measures to restore proper traffic flow while ensuring safety for all road users."

He further emphasised that while supporting sustainable transport is important, it must be balanced with the realities on the ground.

"We all support safer infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians, but it cannot come at the expense of creating daily gridlock on a key national route," he said.

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Deputy McGuinness said that he has invited both TII and Kilkenny County Council to visit the location during peak times to witness firsthand the extent of the congestion.

“The solution starts with acknowledging that this design is not working in its current form," he said.

"The people using this road every day already know that and now it’s time for the authorities to act."

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