Road safety dominates agenda as councillors in Kildare town and Newbridge meet

A meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District will take place in Áras Chill Dara, Naas on Wednesday March 19 2025.

A motion by Cllr Peggy O'Dwyer (FG) will ask that the the council, in conjunction with Iarnród Éireann, explores the upgrade of Sexes Bridge to a two-way traffic and vulnerable road user facilities “similar to the bridge at Newbridge Rail Station.”

A separate motion from Cllr O'Dwyer will ask that the council lists Scoil Na Naomh Uilig, Rickardstown for funding under the Safe Routes to School Programme.

Meanwhile, a similar motion tabled by Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer (FG) is to call on the council to make a commitment to meet with the principals of Patrician Primary School and St Conleth's School in Newbridge.

This, the councillor states, is to outline in detail the design and implementation of the proposed Safe Routes to School Round 2 schemes as funded by the NTA.

READ NEXT: You'll never guess where speeding Kildare L driver was coming from!

A second motion by Cllr O'Dwyer calls on the council to install missing and new signage in Kilcullen to include:

i) a Naas right and Carlow left Regional direction sign on the R448 at the Logstown Junction.

ii) a direction sign on the R448 as you approach the Logstown Junction from Naas to indicate the left turn goes to Ballymore/Dunlavin.

iii) an advance direction sign on the R448 Naas approach road into Kilcullen - currently there is one at the Cattle Mart, Church Car Park, Conroy Park, however once you pass the village of Two Mile House there is no advance direction signage.

Again, with road safety, Cllr Kevin Duffy (FG) will ask the council that it includes Farrell’s Cross at the junction of Suncroft Road and Brownstown Manor on the Low-Cost Accident scheme to improve the safety at this junction.

Cllr Noel Heavey (FF) is to ask that the council provides an update on “the completion/submission of a business plan necessary for the completion of the Southern Relief Road, Great Connell, Newbridge.”

Cllr Pat Balfe (SD) has two motions relating to road safety.

The first will ask the council to examine the feasibility of constructing a pedestrian crossing at the junction of the R414 and Drogheda Street Monasterevin.

According to the councillor, this would enhance pedestrian safety at the location, including students attending the primary schools along this road.

The second motion by Cllr Balfe will ask the council to examine safety measures of the approaches to the bridge on the R424 Monasterevin to Portarlington Road “following concerns and reports of several incidents from residents along this road.”

Finally, a motion by Cllr Tom McDonnell (IND) will call on the council to install a pedestrian crossing on R416 Athgarvan Road, Newbridge at the Newbridge Cemetery to access the car park.