€100,000 for new pedestrian crossing on Delvin Road

A new pedestrian crossing is to be constructed on the Delvin Road in Mullingar following the allocation of €100,000 in funding from the National Transport Authority.

The update was given at the February meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District in response to a question from Cllr Aoife Davitt and a motion from Cllr Bill Collentine, both of which called for improved pedestrian safety on the busy route.

Councillors were advised that the funding has been approved for the construction of a pedestrian crossing close to the Deravarra housing estate. The project will be designed by the council’s Active Travel section and delivered by the municipal district as part of its annual works programme.

Welcoming the announcement, Cllr Davitt said she had raised the issue on a number of occasions, highlighting the difficulties faced by pedestrians attempting to cross the road.

“I’d asked before about a pedestrian crossing there, and even a dipped kerb for people with buggies to be able to cross safely,” she said.

Cllr Collentine welcomed the announcement, saying that the location is busy and thus the crossing was required.

Cllr Davitt also noted increased activity along the Delvin Road, including new bus stops and a takeaway outlet nearing completion, which she said would add to pedestrian demand in the area.

“There are a huge number of people using facilities along that stretch of road, and the width of the road is an important factor as well,” she said. “It’s fantastic to see that the money has been allotted and that we are actually going to be looking at constructing a pedestrian crossing there.”

She said the works would significantly improve safety for residents and visitors using the area.

Stating that the crossing is “more or less designed” already, district engineer Pat Kavanagh said if the safety audit is completed in the next month, he hoped work on the crossing would begin in the summer.

Tower View

At the same meeting, Cllr Davitt was told that the removal of large trees bordering Towerview and Lakepoint will be considered as part of the 2026 works estimates. Cllr Davitt had complained that the trees had become overgrown and were now out of control. The district office said the trees had been examined and that the estimated cost of removal was €20,000.

Cllr Davitt said she had first raised the matter in late 2024 and stressed that the trees, which are located on council-owned land, had established themselves to an unprecedented scale within a housing estate. She warned that following recent storms and high winds, they could pose a danger, adding that while the cost of works was significant, the potential long-term damage if left unaddressed could be considerable. She urged that any action possible be taken as quickly as feasible for the safety of residents.

Cllr Ken Glynn supported the motion, saying he had raised the issue on numerous occasions and that previous efforts to secure grant funding for the works had been unsuccessful. He said concerns were being expressed by residents on both sides of the boundary and described it as a significant issue for the area.

The Downs

Cllr Davitt also asked that two locations at Wooddown, The Downs, have road repairs carried out, to which the response stated that the District Office had advised that the L5604 and L16012 roads could be considered for resurfacing as part of the 2026 works programme depending on available funding.