Cllr Doyle voices concerns against plans to create link road through Lis na Dara estate in Dundalk

Cllr Maria Doyle voiced the concerns of residents of the Lis na Dara estate in Dundalk, regarding plans to create a link road in the estate which would link the Carrickmacross Road to the Castleblayney Road.

Speaking to the Democrat, Cllr Doyle (inset) said that the Council's plan is to continue the road in Lis na Dara through to Mount Avenue and in turn, close Mount Avenue to through traffic.

It would mean that the traffic which currently uses Mount Avenue as a link road from the Carrick Road to the Castleblaney Road will not be directed through Lis na Dara. Cllr Doyle says there will be traffic lights installed at the entrance to the estate and the entrance will also be widened.

Outlining her concerns, Cllr Doyle said, “the planning permission for this through-road dates back to 2007. It is already 12 years old and in my opinion, is based on out-of-date information. Traffic on the Carrick Road is now far heavier than it was in 2007.

“Mount Hamilton, for example, wasn’t built. I have consistently raised issues about heavy traffic volumes on the Carrick Road at peak times.

“This road is expected not only to take the traffic which currently uses Mount Avenue, but also increased traffic which will arise for the development of up to 1500 houses in Mount Avenue.

“Many of the houses in Lis na Dara were either not built or weren’t occupied when the planning permission was granted in 2007, therefore, current residents (myself included) have had no opportunity to have their say on this plan.

“It is inappropriate, I believe, to put a main road right through the centre of a housing estate. I can’t think of any other estates in Dundalk where this is the case. Lis na Dara is an open-plan estate with no boundary walls. The high volumes of traffic this new road will attract will make the estate less safe especially for young children.”

The Fine Gael councillor adds that “this road was originally planned as part of the wider Mount Avenue master plan, which included a Western Bypass which would be a Primary Distributor Road whereas the road through Lis na Dara would be a local access road.”

With progress being made on the Western Bypass, Cllr Doyle said that, “therefore, the road through Lis na Dara will be taking the traffic that was main access road for all traffic.”

“I have been contacted by many residents since Compulsory Purchase Orders were issued who are rightly very concerned”, she adds.

Cllr Doyle said that she has outlined her concerns to the Director of Services and has asked for a meeting but has yet to get a reply.