Glynn wants C-Link safety brought to Ardmore standard

Safety measures similar to those on the Ardmore Road should be introduced along the Western Bypass (C-Link Road) in Mullingar, Cllr Ken Glynn told the November meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District.

Cllr Glynn called for tabletop ramps to be installed outside each estate entrance to slow down passing traffic and make it safer for residents entering and exiting their estates.

“For a long number of years, I have raised issues along the C-Link Road, and obviously it’s now expanded when you take in Farranshock and Greville Park,” he said.

His motion was, he explained, aimed at sorting the problems that exist along the stretch from the Ardleigh and Green Park entrance to the roundabout that leads to Raithín and the ETNS school.

Cllr Glynn described how dangerous it can be for motorists trying to exit estates along the route: “At the moment, if you’re trying to exit from Ardleigh or Ardilaun, it’s nearly impossible. It’s almost safer to go down to the roundabout, go around, and come back up the other side. I think tabletop ramps could be the solution,” he said.

The district’s official written response confirmed that it is the intention to have raised tabletops at each junction on the C-Link, to be delivered as a condition of planning approvals for housing developments, and to be considered under future Active Travel funding or as part of the estimates.

Cllr Andrew Duncan supported the motion, describing it as “very timely”. “It’s one that a lot of us have been bringing up,” he said. “The amount of development and traffic there are increasing all the time, and this is a straightforward solution. It should be extended to every entrance into every estate.”

District engineer Pat Kavanagh said the council has already been directing developers to include safety features within estates and at access points for pedestrians and vehicles. “We’ve conditioned the current developer along that road, and we’ve had a pre-planning meeting for another 250 or 260 houses further along the C-Link,” he said. “At that meeting, I made it clear that we’ll be applying levies for cycleways and pedestrian crossings.”

He added that a further developer proposing around 50 houses had been told the same requirements would apply. “We’ve also included about 30 pedestrian crossing retrofits under Active Travel,” he said. “A lot of the funding this year went to Saunder’s Bridge, but I’m hoping to get more money again to continue upgrading pedestrian crossings once the bridge is built.”

Director of services Deirdre Reilly told members that the works were funding-dependent, and therefore no timeline could yet be given.

Cllr Glynn concluded by saying that the safety upgrades carried out on the Ardmore Road had been “very effective”, and that he wanted to see the same level of safety extended to the western side of Mullingar.

“It’s not there at the moment,” he said, “but I’m confident we will get it.”