Mayor shares belief that Mullingar traffic issues are sorted

Adjustments made to the new traffic lights system in Mullingar have helped iron out the problems that initially beset the system, Mullingar’s mayor, Cllr Bill Collentine, has told his council colleagues this week.

In fact, he has stated, traffic coming through the junctions at Castle Street and Mount Street was now operating “as well as before the enhancement works were carried out”.

Cllr Collentine reminded the October meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad (MDMK) that at their July meeting, MKMD members had acknowledged that the changes had significantly improved the extent and quality of the public realm, and that pedestrian safety had been significantly improved by balancing space and time for pedestrians and vehicles.

“However, there had been concerns that there were too many instances of traffic backing up, particularly on Mount Street and Castle Street, and of consequent traffic delays,” he said.

Cllr Collentine said that a six-member subcommittee was formed to examine the issues, and it had met eight times and had a number of recommendations implemented.

In addition, a study commissioned by the consultants for the scheme was considered at the two most recent meetings of the sub-committee.

Cllr Collentine said: “The study concluded that the signalising of the Pearse Street Castle Street Junction in accordance with DMURS guidance has given a high level of service for large vehicular and pedestrian traffic to interact safely.

“This has greatly improved the pedestrian environment in the town centre and has provided a high level of safe travel service for all modes of transport without impacting on traffic flows,”

Cllr Collentine said that in late July the cycle times on the lights were further adjusted and the system was amended to treat Castle Street Junction and Mount Street Junction as a single unit.

“The sub-committee are satisfied that there has been a marked improvement particularly since then and that traffic is now operating as well as before the enhancement works were carried out,” he stated.

Cllr Collentine admitted, however, that there remains ongoing concern at the ongoing delays on Castle Street itself. As a result, it has been agreed, he said, that additional green time will be assigned to that junction and the situation will be monitored.

He concluded by stating that the sub-committee will continue to meet as necessary to review the operation of the traffic lights and that the Chamber of Commerce will continue to raise any concerns it has at sub-committee level and at separate regular meetings with the council executive.

Cllr Ken Glynn took issue with the claim that matters were now operating smoothly at the Castle Street junction. “It is still not right,” he said, asking what the long-term solution is to be.

Director of services, Martin Murray, said that an adjustment is being made that will allow traffic an additional four seconds coming from the Castle Street direction, and that this will further improve the operation.

Cllr Frank McDermott said he was impressed by the changes the subcommittee had made to the operation of the lights and said the improvements made had been “magnificent”.

Cllr Denis Leonard agreed, saying that the time it took to get through town from the Mullingar Park Hotel had improved.