A road safety audit has raised concerns about vehicle speeds and layout issues on the R448 between Timolin and Moone in South Kildare, as part of a National Cycle Network (NCN) pilot scheme delivered by Kildare County Council.
Kildare County Council has always insisted the €1.6m pilot project - funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) - went through a full public consultation process.
However the Moone & Timolin Positive Action Group claims dozens of incidents have been reported where vehicles were damaged by concrete barriers placed between the main carriageways and the cycle lanes.
The Stage 3 Road Safety Audit, commissioned by AECOM on behalf of the council, examined the 3.5km scheme following construction and identified a range of issues that auditors say require action “in order to improve the safety of the scheme and minimise accident occurrence.”
The scheme, which provides segregated cycle tracks, shared paths, traffic islands and gateway features along the busy regional road, is intended to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians travelling between the south Kildare villages.
However, auditors observed that traffic was travelling at high speeds during both daytime and night-time site visits in December 2025.
The report states: “Traffic was observed to be travelling at high speeds throughout the scheme during both daytime and nighttime site visits and it is noted from the brief that the speed limit along the R448 post-construction will be 100kph.”
Safety experts said the wide carriageway and limited physical features between traffic lanes and cycle facilities create a “wide optical width” that can facilitate higher speeds and provide “limited feedback for errant vehicles” before they conflict with pedestrians or cyclists.
They recommended additional traffic calming measures, including more traffic islands, continuous edge markings and extra vertical features to visually narrow the road. Speed surveys have also been advised to assess whether further measures are needed.
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The audit also found that the northern and southern gateway features, intended to signal entry into the traffic-calmed section, are “inconspicuous” and ineffective in reducing speeds.
At the northern gateway, signage was found to be facing the wrong direction. At the southern gateway, advance road narrowing signs were said to become less noticeable in the presence of gateway boards.
Auditors recommended modifying the gateways to more clearly define the start of the traffic-calmed zone and to reduce carriageway width.
A number of junctions along the route, including at the R747 and Timolin Terrace, were also highlighted. Stop lines at several side roads were described as being set too far back from the carriageway, reducing visibility for drivers and increasing the distance required to enter the main road.
The report warns that this “increases the risk of collisions associated with turning” and recommends relocating stop lines to provide clearer sightlines.
Several findings relate to the clarity and continuity of cycle and pedestrian facilities.
At some junctions, the intended crossing routes for cyclists were described as unclear, with misaligned cycle tracks and narrow kerb openings potentially leading to “trip and falls or collisions with vehicles.”
On the eastern side of the road near the Moone Road junction, the footpath was found to be discontinuous, requiring pedestrians to continue within the cycle track and exposing them to possible conflict with cyclists.
Elsewhere, the footpath width along part of the shared path was measured at approximately one metre. Auditors said pedestrians are “unlikely to remain within the designated footpath” and recommended removing the dividing road marking to avoid confusion.
Issues were also identified with drainage, blocked gullies, leaf build-up on cycle tracks, obscured lighting and unclear or graffiti-covered signage.
The safety audit feedback form, signed by representatives of the design team, employer and audit team leader in early February 2026, indicates that the majority of the audit recommendations have been accepted.
In response to concerns about high speeds, the design team proposed introducing flexible bollards along the hard strip to reduce the effective carriageway width. It also noted that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is seeking a reduction in the speed limit along the scheme to 80km/h.
Some recommendations — including rationalising the width of private accesses — were not accepted at this stage, with the design team stating that many accesses are agricultural in nature and must accommodate machinery and Local Link services.
The council has committed to monitoring traffic speeds and safety concerns as part of a post-completion review.
The R448 scheme forms part of wider efforts to enhance active travel infrastructure across County Kildare, linking rural communities and improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians along busy regional routes.
