Community call for urgent safety measures to be put in place at Balrath Cross

Residents of Balrath/Kentstown area are calling for urgent safety works on the Balrath Cross junction on the N2 which has been the scene of a number of fatal accidents.

There have been at least three fatalities and several other serious accidents at or near the cross and residents say they have been calling for safety works for years.

“It feels like they are waiting for another person to die before lifting a finger,” said one concerned local resident who requested not to be named.

“We have contacted the council multiple times, and a proactive councillor also tried to help. Nobody seems willing to take responsibility, despite this being a well-known blackspot. Residents are asking for traffic lights, a roundabout, or any kind of traffic calming, but all efforts so far have been ignored.”

“It a serious and long-standing public safety issue. This junction forces drivers — including learner and newly qualified ones — to join a very wide and fast-moving road where cars and HGVs regularly exceed 100 km/h.

“It’s a terrifying and dangerous spot to navigate, and there have been multiple fatal and serious collisions here in recent years. Despite repeated concerns raised by locals and even councillors, no safety measures have been implemented.”

She outlined a number of serious accidents recorded at or near this junction including a woman in her 70s killed in a two vehicle collision at the cross in April 2022, a man in his 40s died after being struck by a car near Ballymagarvey while crossing the road in 2017 and a 70 year-old cyclist died following a collision with a car on a nearby stretch of the road close to Balrath Cross in 2017.

In November 2022 four people in their 20s were injured in a serious crash near the same junction. One woman was in serious condition.

“This is not a matter of bad luck or isolated incidents — this junction has a pattern of tragedy and nothing is being done.

“As a parent of a young driver who now has to use this road daily, I am deeply worried and frankly, disgusted by the inaction of Meath County Council and relevant road authorities,” she said.

Cllr Helen Meyer agreed that the junction “is lethal”.

“I know myself from trying to emerge onto the road. I have had representations from local residents and will be putting pressure on the council. They need to put serious thought and consideration in what can be done to improve safety there,” she said,

Cllr Emer Tóibin said she made representations on this junction a year ago, but nothing had been done to improve it. “It is very dangerous, there have been fatal accidents and near misses. There needs to be traffic calming measures there,” she said.

Meath Co Council has been approached for comment.