Laois County Council is being urged to work on improving road safety and road maintenance in the town of Abbeyleix with a series of steps that would benefit drivers and pedestrians alike.
Several motions were raised by three separate Councillors at the Portlaoise Municipal District’s monthly meeting last week.
Local Fianna Fáil Councillor John Joe Fennelly asked that the Council “install traffic calming measures” at the Grallow Wood Estate, Ballymullen.
Fine Gael Councillor Barry Walsh supported the motion, pointing out that there are “a lot of young families in the area.”
Cllr Fennelly then called for the Council to “install a yellow box” on the Mountrath Road in the town “to allow residential traffic from Church View houses to exit.”
He concluded by asking that the Council “examine the surface water run off on the footpath paving at Main Street, Abbeyleix, especially for users of wheelchairs, mobility scooters and baby buggies.”
Cllr Fennelly said the project would need to be carried out on a phased basis as the problem effects both sides of the road.
Mr Wes Wilkinson, Senior Executive Engineer, responded to all three motions, saying he would meet Cllr Fennelly at Grallow Wood and on Main Street to examine the locations.
Mr Wilkinson also confirmed that the Portlaoise MD Office would install the requested yellow box.
Abbeyleix was also on Independent Councillor Tommy Mulligan’s agenda as he called for Laois County Council to contact Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) to request that they “explore road safety measures at ‘The Island’ junction on the N77.”
Mr Michael Malone, Senior Executive Engineer at the Council’s Roads Department, confirmed the Council would correspond with TII on the matter.
Another motion in the vicinity of Abbeyleix came from Cllr Barry Walsh who asked for repair works to be carried out near Knock Church, citing “water damage” which he said “is causing the road to unravel on both sides.”
SEE ALSO – Former Laois TD and Minister for Justice elected chair of Irish Red Cross
