'We need to do better' - lack of public lighting at Kildare village raised

A Fine Gael councillor has highlighted the lack of public lighting 'on the footpath between the housing estates at the Curragh end of Athgarvan', Co Kildare, 'back towards the village itself.'

Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, tabling her motion at a meeting of Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District recently, called on the local authority to address the issue of public lighting in the area.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr O'Dwyer said the issue was brought to her attention by residents themselves. She said there is a significant gap in street lighting on the Curragh Road leading into Athgarvan Village.

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Cllr O'Dwyer said that given the recent residential development carried out along this road, combined with the fact that the road leads to the local school, pitch and putt, GAA club etc, it is important that public lighting is sufficient for the area.

The Fine Gael councillor said she was at a meeting on Monday where gardai were present, who strongly stressed there was a need for “lighting, lighting, lighting.”

According to gardai, Cllr O'Dwyer said, public lighting is a crime deterrent, it makes an area safer, and gardai themselves were having “huge issues” with public lighting.

“We're trying our best, but we need to do better”, she said in relation to the specific location.

Cllr O'Dwyer said she couldn't understand why developers were not conditioned to install pedestrian crossings and public lighting when developments were carried out.

In this instance, she noted, Kildare County Council was now going to have to address the problem, to the expense of the local authority.

She said she hoped development levies generated could be used to install lighting and fill in the gaps along this road.

A report issued by Kildare County Council stated that Cllr O'Dwyer's request fell under category C (Areas of medium brightness (urban locations) / Areas of high district brightness (urban centres with high night-time usage).

The report outlined: “Lighting installations shall be progressed subject to funding being available and the request's (KLIPS) rank requested from the Public Lighting Maintenance Contractor.

“Once the funds are made available a PO is given to the Maintenance Contractor to install the lights.

“If a new connection is required, the Public Lighting Section will submit an NC4 Application Form to ESB Networks for the new connection.”

As stated by the council, the Public Lighting Department is to request a quotation from the Public Lighting Maintenance Contractor and will install the lights “subject to the availability of funding.”