Trial cycle and pedestrian route works begin

The Convent Road in Navan has been closed to traffic as works has started on a trial cycle and pedestrian route.

A meeting of Navan Municipal Council last week heard that the next phase of the Navan Cycle Network will be from the Dan Shaw Road to the Solstice, work on which is expected to begin in the Next Year.

The subsequent phase would see the cycleway continue down Circular Road to the Dublin Road and the Cantilever Bridge at the junction with the Kentstown Road.

Engineer Cormac Ross told the meeting that another phase would involve a link from St Martha's Bridge to Circular Road.

Further phases would involve extending the cycleway out as far as Woodies on the Kells Road and a cycleway on Flowerhill.

The current work on the Convent Road is expected to take six weeks to complete. During the trial period traffic will only be allowed up the Convent Road as far as the Riverview development, after that the road will become a cycle and pedestrian facility.

Traffic will be prevented from travelling further up the road by bollards, which emergency services will be able to drive over.

Meanwhile the Council is to look at the installation of bollards along the Athlumney cycle path to stop illegal parking of cars on the cycle lane.

Cllr Eddie Fennessy had called for this action and asked for particular attention to be paid to the stretch of footpath from the junction where Convent Road meets the R153 to the entrance of the Andy Brennan Park. He was told the suggestion will be put forward to the Project Team.

"We have precious little in terms of cycle infrastructure in Navan. What bits and pieces we do have, ought to provide safe access to cyclists availing of it. This is the second such motion I've submitted over recent months, on both occasions illegal parking on cycle paths is putting cyclists at risk on busy roads.

"I welcome Council's response and acknowledge the imminent works on Convent Road.”

Cllr Francis Deane called on the Council to erect temporary traffic lights on the Kentstown Road to facilitate residents exiting the Orchard and Athlumney Castle housing estates while the trial scheme is in progress on Convent Road.

He was told measures would be put in place to limit, as far as reasonably practicable, the impact on traffic during the construction phase.

Following completion of the works, the Council's Transportation Department will regularly monitor traffic levels, and the matter of traffic impacts, if any, will be kept under regular review during the 12 month trial period.

He was told the potential implementation of appropriate traffic management interventions during the trial period (if warranted) will be considered as part of this review process, but it is not currently anticipated that full signalisation/ traffic lights to the Elm Park/Kentstown Road junction will be required.