Concerns expressed over some proposals in Louth Speed Limit Review

Louth Sinn Féin representatives, Cllr Sionainn McCann and Cllr Antóin Watters, have expressed concerns regarding some of Louth County Council's proposals being put forward in the local authority's Speed Limit Review, and have put forward proposals that they feel need to be addressed.

Dundalk South's Cllr Sionainn McCann has welcomed the proposal from Louth County Council to introduce a 30km/h speed limit in housing estates but feels more can be done.

Cllr McCann said, “I have been working closely with residents on this issue, particularly in Dromiskin and although most estates will be covered under the 30km/h proposal, there are concerns that The Hamlet and Common’s Grove estates will not be included.

“These are areas with a high number of children and pedestrians at all times so I feel that the revised speed limit should apply here as well.”

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Cllr McCann also expressed concern that the large estate of Greenacres in Dundalk is currently 50km/h and has also been excluded.

“This is a particularly busy estate especially with the amount of vehicular and pedestrian traffic around the shops. Greenacres is a large estate stretching back into Oaklawns and parts of the roads can lend themselves to excessive speeding at times. The safety of our community must be the priority.”

Schools and community hubs are another major concern included in submissions to the Speed Limit Review, and Cllr Antóin Watters, who was at the forefront of a campaign around Bellurgan School, has called for a 50km/h limit around all schools and community hubs like football clubs or businesses, especially in rural or less built up urban areas where speeding is more of an issue.

Cllr Watters said “in particular I have asked Louth County Council to prioritise a speed reduction on parts of the R173 and R175 in Cooley where there have been a number of accidents over the last few years. That particular stretch of road includes three major road junctions and community buildings including Bush Post Primary School, Cooley Kickhams GFC, St Mary's Parochial Hall, Cooley Community Playgroup and Cooley Credit Union."

Cllr Watters said that Louth County Council has assured him that the current speed limit review would 'include a comprehensive assessment of all regional, local and urban roads across the county'.

Cllr Watters added that: “Residents should not have to undertake long campaigns to ensure safety measures around schools or built up community spaces, it should be a basic standard.”