Calls for council to outline policy on 'yellow boxes' at Kildare housing estates

A Fianna Fáil councillor has called on the local authority to outline its policy on the installation of 'yellow boxes' in Kildare housing estates.

According to Cllr Noel Heavey's motion – tabled at a recent Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting – 'yellow boxes' would facilitate “egress and entrance to Newbridge Housing Estates at busy times.”

Speaking at the meeting on Wednesday 19 February 2025, Cllr Heavey said that as a councillor, he was accustomed to constituents approaching him asking for a 'yellow box' to be implemented on the road outside their estate.

Cllr Heavey gave as an example, the estate of Kilbelin Abbey, a large estate which accesses both Walshestown Road and Athgarvan Road.

This was a “very large estate”, Cllr Heavey said, with “certainly over 250 houses in it”, and getting out of it in the mornings, and getting into it in the evenings “can be a problem.”

He wasn't aware the effect a 'yellow box' would have on such an estate, he said, “but it's a very vexed question.”

It seemed to be a cost-efficient way of calming traffic, he said, and thanked the council for the report.

He would suggest, he said, that when there is a very large estate, there is going to be casual all-day traffic, and installing a 'yellow box' therefore seemed to be a cost-efficient way of aiding traffic flow.

Supporting the motion, Cllr Chris Pender (SD) said it was “fantastic” to have the council's criteria for 'yellow boxes', because it meant councillors had “something to bring back to our constituents.”

Cllr Pender conceded that while 'yellow boxes' work “in some areas”, “they absolutely don't in others.”

“Again, it all boils down to driver behaviour, unfortunately”, he said, but he appreciated the council making the criteria available.

However, he added, he did believe that some housing estates should be considered for 'yellow boxes.'

The council outlined its policy on the installation of 'yellow boxes' as follows: “The Objective of a Yellow Box is to prevent traffic from blocking a Junction.

“Criteria/Conditions: Requires evidence of all day blocking and significant queues (greater than 3 vehicles at any time) persisting in the Off-peak period. Not permitted for private entrances.

“Yellow box road markings are provided to aid traffic flows at a cross junction where static traffic in the junction is affecting efficient cross flow of traffic.

“The application of a Yellow Box is also appropriate where traffic blocking a junction is causing a traffic hazard.

“A Yellow Box may also be warranted at junctions where there is evidence of all day blocking, not just at peak times. The side road traffic flows should be significant to warrant the application of the Yellow Box in this way.

“A Yellow Box is not appropriate for an individual entrance and are only considered at the intersection of two public roads.”