Will pelican crossing solve traffic problems on mullingars clink road

A pelican crossing will replace the pedestrian crossing on Mullingar's C-Link Road, but it remains to be seen if it will solve all the traffic problems along that route.

The pelican crossing was announced as a traffic calming measure at a meeting of Mullingar Municipal District.

It is to be paid for from monies collected from this year's paid parking in Mullingar.

Fears that someone will be seriously injured on this road, which is close to the busy estates of Ardleigh and Greenpark, have been raised time and time again by county councillors.

Cllr Sorca Clarke said she was almost struck by car on that very same route at Christmas.

“As a person who was almost struck there during Christmas week, I can personally testify that I’ve seen cars drive up on the footpath and go around the roundabout the wrong way...due to the traffic congestion in the area. We do need to find an effective solution,” said the Sinn Féin councillor.

 “I’m very concerned in terms of how motorists are going up on the footpath and going the wrong way round a roundabout. I think we need to be very careful when we say that putting a pelican crossing in will solve all these issues.”

Cllr Ken Glynn said residents claimed that they were taking their lives into their own hands every time they attempted to cross the road at that location adding that “The problem is disobedience by motorists".

"There’s no doubt if there is an accident there, it will be a serious one,” stated Cllr Andrew Duncan.