Ah, the Mountmellick Road.
The county’s most talked-about road was up for discussion at this week’s meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District in Laois County Council.
Incidentally it was a meeting that also decided that Cllrs Tommy Mulligan and Catherine Fitzgerald will be the district’s two representatives to meet the TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) alongside councillors from Laois’s two other areas.
“The Mountmellick Road will be top of the agenda,” said Cllr Fitzgerald who said people are “blue in the face” bringing it up as an issue. It’s a road that’s bedevilled by traffic and has received the least amount of attention compared to other parts of town.
However a motion from Cllr Paddy Buggy led to a considerable debate on the merits of traffic lights compared to roundabouts.
Cllr Buggy’s motion called for traffic lights at the junction of Harpurs Lane and the Mountmellick Road as well as the junction of the Ballyfin Road and the Mountmellick Road.
This, argued Cllr Buggy, “would facilitate local traffic exiting onto the Mountmellick Road particularly at peak traffic times”.
The response from the council was that the road design section are engaging with consultants who are to “provide a Feasability and Options Report for the N80 to Peter and Paul’s Church”.
“This is ongoing at present and the report will be available in the coming weeks for discussion.”
Cllr John Joe Fennelly, who chairs this district, said the members will be informed of this report before their next municipal meeting on February 18.
“Everyone in this chamber is fully aware of how busy the Mountmellick Road is particularly in the mornings and evenings,” said Cllr Buggy.
“In bringing this motion forward I want to ensure that the local people who live along this road and on the adjoining roads have priority access to this route at peak times in the morning and evening.
“In suggesting the installation of traffic lights we will be better able to control the flow of traffic with local traffic getting priority in the mornings and evenings and at off peak time the passing through traffic getting priority.
“Although this will slow down the speed of traffic it will though be fairer to all road users.
“It will also make it safer for pedestrians crossing the road. This will also be a more cost effective solution with minimum disruption to traffic while being installed compared to roundabouts.”
“I don’t support traffic lights but I support the merit of the motion,” said Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley, who is a resident of the area herself, she reminded the meeting on a couple of occasions.
She cited examples of traffic lights being out of service, or faulty, as the reason for being against them and reckoned they’d make the situation worse.
“I completely understand the sentiment of the motion but don’t think traffic lights are the answer,” added Cllr Tommy Mulligan.
“I’d prefer roundabouts but I’d accept traffic lights at this stage,” said Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald.
“We’re always hearing about reports but nothing is happening,” she added. “We’re still talking but no progress. This is one thing I want to talk to the TII about.
“It’s not fair on people trying to get out to work, trying to get out to school. You’re relying on the goodwill of people to let you out on the road.”
Cllr Buggy came back to say that “we have to be realistic … nothing has happened, nothing may happen”.
“Traffic lights are a fraction of the cost. You’re probably looking at €1 million for three roundabouts.
“We need a short-term fix. Traffic lights are the most cost efficient option. We could put the savings into footpaths.
“It’s a way of managing traffic. It will slow it down but it will make it safer. We have to make it fairer to the local people of Portlaoise. Our priority has to be local people – not those coming from the west.”
However, Cllr Buggy’s suggestion of cost-saving on the Mountmellick drew an angry response from Cllr Dwane-Stanley.
“As the only councillor who lives on the road, I won’t be accepting second best for the Mountmellick Road.
“Are we in the real world? We can afford roundabouts for the Abbeyleix Road, the Mountrath Road, the Dublin Road, the Borris Road.
“I don’t care what cost it is. That road badly needs it. If we put traffic lights on that road, the traffic will stop altogether.
“I won’t be settling for the bottom end of the market. We’ve had enough of that on the Mountmellick Road.”
Cllr Buggy said that Cllr Dwane-Stanley’s response was “disappointing”.
“You used the word ‘cheaper'” retorted Cllr Dwane-Stanley.
Cllr Buggy then said she was “out of order” with Cllr Dwane-Stanley hitting back by saying she wasn’t “going to take a lecture”.
In any case, the consultant’s report will be with them on February 18. And two of their reps are being sent of to meet the TII.
But we’ll be very surprised if it isn’t back on the agenda before long.
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