Safety concerns raised over ‘dangerous’ railway bend

Urgent calls have been made for safety improvements on a “dangerous” stretch of road near Killucan following a series of recent accidents.

At a of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District, Cllr Denis Leonard urged the council to prioritise traffic calming and signage measures between the quarry at Anniscannon and the railway crossing on the Killucan side.

Council officials confirmed that low-cost safety works will be considered for the location, subject to the availability of funding.

Highlighting the risks, Cllr Leonard described the stretch as particularly hazardous due to its layout.

“Anyone who drives from Killucan to Kinnegad comes around two massive bends and then suddenly you’re on top of the railway tracks,” he said.

He warned that speeding vehicles are frequently met with stationary traffic at the crossing, creating a serious collision risk.

“There could be four or five cars backed up there, or even 10 or 12, and people are coming flying around that corner at speed. The next thing, they’re on top of parked cars,” he said.

Cllr Leonard added that local residents regularly report hearing “screeching of tyres” outside their homes and said at least two accidents had occurred at the location in the previous month.

He called for the area to be treated as a priority, citing the combination of sharp bends, a nearby quarry and limited visibility.

In a separate issue, the council confirmed that the L15041 at Grangemore, Raharney, has been included in the 2026 programme for surface dressing.

Cllr Leonard said the road has caused “consistent problems for many years”, adding that temporary pothole repairs are ineffective.

“It’s almost impossible to drive down that road without damaging your car,” he said, calling for a more permanent solution in the longer term.

Repairs are also planned for the L5010 at Rahan, Kinnegad, as part of routine maintenance, and resurfacing is to be considered under future funding.

Cllr Leonard said the condition of the road has deteriorated rapidly, and motorists face costly damage.

“People can show you the bills they’ve had from cars going down into the deep holes that are there,” he said, noting comparisons with better-maintained roads across the nearby county boundary.

The council said works across both routes will proceed in line with maintenance schedules and available resources.