Council to carry out assessment of roundabouts in this Kildare town

A Fianna Fáil councillor has called on the local authority to carry out a comprehensive assessment of roundabouts in Maynooth, Co Kildare.

Cllr Donna Phelan called for the move to combat hedgerows or planting impacting driver visibility, and asked if any cutting or maintenance would take place in advance of the nesting season.

Speaking at this month's Clane Maynooth Municipal District meeting, Cllr Phelan said she found the council's response “extremely frustrating”, as she had previously raised the matter with the local authority through motions and questions.

Local residents continued to raise the issue with her, she said, as visibility at these roundabouts – particularly the Tesco roundabouts – continues to be a genuine road safety concern.

READ NEXT: Design work started on traffic calming measures for this Kildare road

While she welcomed confirmation that an assessment will be carried out, the lack of a timeline was “disappointing”, she said.

Councillors were being told that work may not be carried out before the nesting season, which in effect means pushing necessary safety works back again, she added.

Cllr Phelan said she fully appreciated the need to protect biodiversity, but road safety must also be prioritised.

Basic management of hedge height and sight-lines “should not come as a surprise each year”, she stated, and should be planned for in advance.

Next year, she said, she would like to see these works carried out “as a priority.”

A council official told Cllr Phelan it was a “pity this wasn't given to us in a more timely manner”, as it was now coming into nesting season, when works could not be carried out.

He did not agree with Cllr Phelan's assertion about the visibility of roundabouts, as he said the priority was that motorists could see to their right on roundabouts, not through the roundabout itself.

A second official pointed out that where road safety is a concern, that will be treated as a priority by the council.

A report issued by the council stated: “An assessment of the roundabouts will be carried out. Any works required will be scheduled following this but it may not be possible to complete any required works before the nesting season.”