Slown Down! Five areas to start for traffic calming work

Motorists will be applying their brakes more often from this month, as Westmeath County Council is about to start the installation of approximately 30 ramps to slow traffic.

That comes as the council has made public a list of five specific locations that are going to have formal traffic calming plans drawn up.

Details of the changes ahead were explained to members of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District (MKMD) at their July monthly meeting by Damien Grennan, senior engineer, Westmeath County Council.

At the meeting, Mr Grennan explained that the council’s traffic calming policy, adopted in September 2023, aims to enhance road safety and accessibility, reduce noise pollution, and protect vulnerable road users and in the MKMD, five areas have now been selected for initial traffic calming design work: Collinstown, Taughmon, Rochfortbridge, Gainstown, and Multyfarnham.

Design work for Collinstown is nearing completion, and the council is awaiting a road safety audit. The same process will be undertaken for the other four locations, with the goal of having plans ready to attract future funding.

Urban centres like Mullingar and Athlone are being addressed separately through larger schemes.

Mr Grennan emphasised that the list is not fixed and may change in response to shifting traffic patterns or accident histories. While some towns are not on the first phase of works, he assured councillors that areas such as Castlepollard are on the radar, and both the Oldcastle and Finea roads have been identified for future consideration.

That reassurance was welcomed by councillors, but there was a degree of concern over Castlepollard not being on the initial list of five areas to be targeted.

Cllr Alfie Devine praised the work done in Collinstown but expressed strong disappointment that Castlepollard had not yet had a single ramp installed. He described serious traffic issues on the Finea and Oldcastle roads and insisted that only physical measures like ramps and tabletops would slow drivers down.

“I think Castlepollard is actually one of the worst affected towns in the county,” he said, adding that confusion over right-of-way around the square was also creating a dangerous situation.

Cllr Niall Gaffney echoed the support for traffic calming but queried the funding model and asked whether schemes would go through the General Municipal Allocation (GMA). He also urged that future traffic calming proposals be reviewed by the council’s dedicated sub-committee.

Calls for other areas to be included were made by several councillors. Cllr David Jones highlighted the need for further measures in Drumcree, Whitehall, and Raharney, where, he said, a third ramp is urgently needed near the school. He also raised concerns about enforcement, pointing out that the introduction some months ago of a new 60kmh zone on some roads had not made an impact yet: “Not one garda have I seen on the back roads with a speed gun since the new 60kmh zone has come in,” he said.

Cllr Ken Glynn welcomed the inclusion of Gainstown, noting measures had been sought for there for several years. He also flagged the Lynn Road, Lynn Cross, and Ballinea village as areas still awaiting attention.

Cllr Denis Leonard pointed to Kinnegad, which he said had just a single tabletop at the library. He argued that developers should be required to include traffic calming features during estate planning. “We are going back with limited resources trying to undo what probably developers should have put in day one,” he said. He also argued for a differentiated approach around schools, where “very small kids” face particular dangers.

Cllr Aoife Davitt highlighted road safety as one of her main concerns and sought detail on what exactly is proposed for Taughmon. She also raised concerns about speeding in Whitehall and Gainstown, asking if static cameras could be used to monitor and fine motorists.

Cllr Julie McCourt asked about measures for Multyfarnham, particularly near The Rock graveyard, where parking and speeding are a concern. District engineer, Pat Kavanagh, confirmed he had met residents and agreed ramp locations, and he would examine parking issues near the graveyard.

The mayor, Cllr Mick Dollard, reiterated the importance of enforcement and raised the need for renewed engagement with the Garda Traffic Corps, especially via local policing forums. He also pushed for maintaining road markings as part of the strategy.

On funding, Mr Grennan confirmed that support had come from several sources, including the council’s own budget, Department of Transport grants, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Specific villages like Delvin and Clonmellon, which fall under the TII remit, are being addressed through separate processes. Other sources like the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Outdoor Recreation Scheme, and CLÁR are also being explored.

Works under way

Mr Kavanagh gave an update on works under way. They include 30 ramps due in the coming weeks, a project for Kilpatrick school pending final design, and planned installations at Ballagh Road. He said planning conditions on the developer of a new estate on the Russellstown Road will see measures installed there. With regard to the schools in Castlepollard, conditions have been put in place for traffic calming, as well as the tabletop on the Mullingar Road.

He confirmed that developers are being required to incorporate ramps and other traffic calming features into new housing estates as a planning condition.

He also outlined specific upcoming improvements, such as a new pedestrian crossing and tabletop in Collinstown and further footpaths and crossings near St Finian’s. A safety scheme is also ready to proceed in Killucan in the coming weeks.

In response to concerns about Multyfarnham, Mr Kavanagh said he had met residents and would assess the parking near the graveyard. He noted a tabletop had already been installed on the Mullingar Road into the village.

In concluding remarks, Mr Grennan said the traffic calming strategy would continue to evolve according to changing road conditions and community feedback. He committed to providing councillors with regular updates and maintaining engagement with gardaí and schools.

“We have to start somewhere,” he said, “but no town is forgotten.”