There was anger at a meeting of residents about the Council moving ahead with plans to divert heavy traffic through their residential areas, without any information being provided to them.
Fifty residents attended the meeting, held in Clanwilliam Rugby Club on Thursday 14th February. The meeting was also attended by Mattie McGrath TD and Councillors Martin Browne and John Crosse. There were angry exchanges as people told of their frustration at the Council in providing them with no information about what is going to happen when N24 traffic is diverted due to eight months of roadworks on Davitt Street.
A flyer has been issued by the organisers since the meeting and the text of this is below, The key points from the meeting were about concerns:
- That heavy vehicular traffic will be diverted along O'Connell Road, whose houses are over 100 years old and already vibrate when heavy goods vehicles pass;
- That heavy traffic may also be diverted through Canon Hayes Park;
- That pollution from this heavy traffic will cause health problems;
- That the temporary roundabout proposed for the top of O'Brien Street will endanger the jobs at Computer Solutions;
- That the roundabout may become a permanent fixture; and
- That the previously defeated "rat run" inner relief road behind Canon Hayes Park might be proposed again by the Council.
The Councillors present gave an undertaking that they would ask the Council to hold off on diverting traffic until the residents had been consulted with. A Councillor has since advised that the Council has agreed to this.
Text of the Residents Flyer
UPDATE ON PROPOSED TEMPORARY ROUNDABOUT AT O’BRIEN STREET
RE: Meeting held at Clanwilliam Rugby Club – Thursday 14th February 2019
There were 50 people present. TD Mattie McGrath was in attendance as were Councillors Martin Browne and John Crosse. Nobody in the room knew precisely what is going to happen in terms of traffic diversion for the Davitt St works. Is there a traffic plan? The works were due to commence last Monday and still people do not know how their lives will be affected. This is not good enough. There are fears, based on statements made by a Councillor recently and by a council official, that the proposed temporary roundabout at the top of O’Brien street may become a permanent one, forever ruining an urban open space. Traffic before people. Even if the roundabout is temporary, it is likely to endanger up to 14 employees in businesses located at the intersection and the town cannot afford this to happen. Any diversion of N24 traffic along O’Connell Road is completely unacceptable. It seems highly probable that diverted traffic would affect Galbally road, Scallagheen, An Duiche, Station road, Abbey School and Abbey Street on one side of town and if traffic for Cashel direction is diverted at out at Barronstown, the areas of Springfield, Rosanna Road, St Michael’s Ave will experience increased volumes.
All of the houses in O’Connell road are over 100 years old and the street forms an effective canyon for poisonous fumes, noise and vibration from heavy vehicles. This is a real concern as no consideration seems to be given to the emission of DEPs (Diesel exhaust particles) which are a proven carcinogen. Currently, any truck that travels along the road causes vibrations in the houses and there are concerns for the structural stability if heavy traffic is diverted along the road for a sustained period of time.
We need to know what environmental monitoring will be in place, what safe limits will be in place and what will occur if these limits are breached. The diversion of N24 traffic through Canon Hayes Park is completely unacceptable. Like O’Connell Road, this is a residential area, not a highway. People will become prisoners in their own homes if heavy traffic is diverted through there. There are substantial fears, based on a statement by a council official about using “existing infrastructure” that the previously defeated “rat run” road from the Bohercrowe roundabout on the Limerick road to the Emly Road, behind Canon Hayes Park may be put forward by the council again. This will be resisted strongly if it is attempted as it is an entirely inappropriate route though a residential area over 60 years old.
The town needs a proper realignment of the N24, as approved 30 years ago. Until that happens the town needs a proper outer relief road. Nobody asked for the Davitt Street work and it is not accepted that traffic calming is needed at all given that the Bohercrowe roundabout induces this effect prior to entry to Davitt Street. Everybody accepts the need to surface the road, but the additional civil works that are blowing the construction period out to 8 or 9 months are completely unnecessary and unacceptable.
The Councillors present agreed to approach the council to carry out no diversions until such time as the residents have been consulted with.
Following the meeting, we received prompt notice from the council that they have agreed not to put up any diversion signs until we meet with them and they hear all the concerns and fears expressed at the meeting.
When the people affected are made aware of the exact details of the proposed development regarding traffic plans and public safety, we can evaluate precisely what actions are needed.
All Concerns, Queries, Comments and Suggestions can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Alternatively there will be a feedback box in Computer Solutions 4U for written Concerns, Queries, Comments and Suggestions.
