Parents of schoolchildren 'don't trust' road crossing in this Kildare town

A pedestrian crossing in Sallins linking the GAA club to the pedestrian bridge  should be upgraded to a “zebra” crossing. A corresponding call has been made to replace the raised table at Sherlockstown Road to a “zebra” crossing. 

Cllr Bill Clear said the route is heavily used by children walking to school “yet cars are often driving through while they are on the crossing.”

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Cllr Carmel Kelly said the raised table, effectively a bump platform designed to slow traffic, should be taken away in favour of a “proper crossing.”

Cllr Kelly said hundreds of children used the crossing and the pedestrian bridge is a great success because it has taken people off the canal bridge.

Cllr Carmel Kelly

But she said the new bridge needs to be served by a crossing. “It is dangerous, because cars won’t stop,” she said.

She said the ramp is not seen as a crossing and “we’re trying to encourage children to walk to school.”

Cllr Kelly said "that parents don’t trust the crossing “as it is” and she suggested the provision of  flashing beacons powered by solar panels.  

Cllr Clear said he believes the path in the area is wide enough to accommodate the work.

Cllr Bill Clear

KCC engineer Donal  Hodgins said that drivers won’t wait for children to cross. He also said that the proposal would encroach on the GAA premises because of the need to provide space for people to wait.

He also said it is not proposed to change the unsignalised crossings along the Kerdiffstown Road and the Sherlockstown Road because to upgrade them means “the purchase of third-party lands, the removal of mature trees and an upgrade to the public lighting at the crossings.” 

He added there is neither the financial nor staff resources to undertake the work. 

“It should be noted that there are sufficient forward sightlines to these crossings and the main concern at this location is driver behaviour.”

He also said the Grand Canal Greenway link across the vehicular ramp and the road through Sallins “will assist in dissuading traffic (from) using the Sherlockstown Road.”