Not for the first time, members of Laois County Council expressed their utter frustration with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) at a meeting this week.
The TII oversees issues with national roads like speed limits but the councillors have regularly been critical of the body.
A particular bone of contention is a perceived lack of consultation with the local authority and a failure, so far, to get representatives of the TII to address a full meeting of Laois County Council.
The topic came to the fore at a meeting of Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District on the back of a motion from Cllr Padraig Fleming calling on Laois County Council to provide an update on safety measures at the N78 at Crettyard at the pretrol station and Tirlan branch.
Cllr Fleming explained that the speed limit there is 100 km/h when it needs to be lower given the presence of businesses in that area.
“80 km/h would still even be too fast there,” said Cllr Fleming. “We need to make people aware that they have to slow down in that area.
“We want the speed reduced,” added Cllr Ben Brennan. “Someone is going to be swept off the road there. It’s going on years. We’re sick of it.
“Tirlan is a big business there. You’ve Geneva Stores and a couple of big farmers. We want action now on it.”
Cllr Aisling Moran said that “we have tried talking to the TII but you might as well be banging your head off a wall”.
“There is a very simple solution. Change the speed limit. There should be speed calming measures and put a traffic van there and I guarantee you people would slow down”.
“I’m asking for the 958th time, can TII come down and meet the council,” she added.
“They ignore every request we make.”
“I would agree,” said Cllr Fleming, “but they’ve been asked before.”
“They’re in a world of their own,” added Cllr Moran.
A response from the council stated that the speed and traffic count has been carried out and that an application has been made to install additional signage and line-marking.
“Road Design will assess the speed limit at this location and review internally,” added the council response.
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