Kildare County Council urged to add this location to its Junction Improvement Programme

Kildare County Council (KCC) was urged by a local councillor to add a specific location to its Junction Improvement Programme.

Social Democrats Cllr Paula Mulroe made the request at the latest Clane-Maynooth Municipal District, which took place on Friday, February 6 last.

Cllr Mulroe, who attended the meeting by virtual means, motioned for KCC to "include Downings Cross in Prosperous, at the intersection of the R409/R403, in the Junction Improvement Programme for Capital Programme funding, on safety grounds."

Her motion was seconded by Fine Gael Cllr Tim Durkan.

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Responding to Cllr Mulroe's motion, KCC said via the report it presented at the meeting: "Ten locations have been identified as part of the Junction Improvement Programme, and this junction is not one of those.

"The Regional and Local Road Network Safety Analysis Reports completed by the Department of Transport Support Office (DoTSO) is the key tool used to prioritise what junctions are included in future phases of this project."

KCC also said: "This location was included in the Round 2 analysis and can be considered for future funding applications and phases of the programme."

In addition, KCC told Cllr Mulroe that this junction "can also be considered for inclusion on a list of low-cost safety schemes in the interim".

CRITICISM

Another councillor who spoke on the motion was the Mayor of the MD, Fine Gael Cllr Brendan Wyse. 

Similar to Cllr Mulroe's motion, his comments focused on road safety — he pointed out a recent crash at Healy's Bridge, and claimed that the structure "is being repeatedly hit" by vehicles.

Mayor Wyse also expressed his belief that there was an increasing number of motorists using their mobile phones.

Furthermore, he warned the attendees of the meeting: "We have to be cautious about wasting taxpayer's money."

One KCC official who was present at the meeting, Mark McLoughlin, also told the members: "We can look at some low-cost safety measures in the meantime."

Cllr Mulroe then spoke again, and said that while she agreed with Cllr Wyse's criticism of reckless driver behaviour, she also claimed that there has been "an increased volume [of vehicles]" at Downings Cross too.

Social Democrats Cllr Paula Mulroe. File photograph

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Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.