Cllrs driven round the bend over chicane conditions

Traffic calming measures installed in Laytown Bettystown decribed as ‘disgraceful’

A MAINTENANCE plan to fix traffic chicanes in “disgraceful condition” needs to be implemented before new ones are installed a Laytown Bettystown meeting recently heard.

Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan made the call after it was revealed that residents in Millmount Abbey in Drogheda rejected proposals for a chicane in the estate as a safety measure to slow down traffic.

Details of the proposed improvement works at Millmount Abbey went on public display in October 2023. 39 submissions were made against of the modular chicane with the majority of submissions requesting table top ramps be provided as an alternative.

“I'm not supporting the installation of another chicane in any estate until we have a proper management plan for the chicanes we have currently installed,” said Tolan.

“Some of them are in a disgraceful condition in the estates,” she added.

“They have been hit, they have been vandalised, there has been pieces of them left on the roadside.

“In Castlemartin, there is one on one side of the road and it just encourages people to speed on the other side. So not only are they continuing to speed they are doing it on the wrong side of the road.”

Labour Cllr Elaine McGinty said: “We must think of an alternative, there is a problem with speeds within estates. If they are not working and residents don't want them we must start thinking outside the box a bit. There must be alternatives, we need to slow traffic down in estates.”

Fine Gael Cllr Paddy Meade said he was disappointed that residents opted against the introduction of the safety measure.

“Millmount Abbey has a speeding problem and residents have contacted us and they want support. The council does everything in their power, has a full public consultation and all the people arrive in and say they don't want it, it's frustrating.

Fianna Fail Cllr Tom Behan says the stigma around chicanes is making residents reluctant to embrace the idea.

“People don't want them because they are associated with other areas in the country that has been known to be drug havens or areas of real anti social behaviour and crime.

“We need to look at ramps and raised pedestrian crossings. It would give residents the opportunity safely cross the road and act as a traffic calming scheme.”

Fianna Fail Cllr Wayne Harding reminded the meeting that following his proposal last year Meath Co Council has made a commitment for the phased implementation of traffic calming and safety measures within the county's housing estates.

Fianna Fail Cllr Stephen McKee echoed the others councillors comments in suggesting the council liaise with residents to come to solution that is satisfactory to all.

In response a Meath Co Council official said:

“The current national guidelines for traffic calming state that ramps shouldn't be used when there is an alternative measure that can be used.

“We have done speed surveys before and after installation and we have got speed reductions in the order of 10km an hour so they do work from what we can see.

“The three year capital plan has allowed €50,000 a year for the next three years to try and tackle as many estates as we can.

“Chicanes are much more cost effective than ramps, a chicane when they build everything is €6,000, a ramp is €10,000. If we start putting in ramps everywhere we will get through less estates.

“The policy for traffic calming around housing estates is due to go before the SPC.”