Urgent N51 safety review sought

A call for urgent safety improvements on a dangerous stretch of the N51 between Crowenstown and Lisclogher was made at the April meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad.

Cllr Niall Gaffney urged the local authority to carry out a focused review of the route, particularly along a series of S-bends between Crowenstown NS and Lisclogher, where he said visibility is poor and the risk to road users is significant.

He described the road as carrying all types of traffic, including buses, heavy goods vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, with numerous junctions and turns along a relatively short stretch.

Highlighting a history of serious collisions, including fatalities, Cllr Gaffney said the road remains “no stranger to accidents” and warned that recent incidents underline the need for immediate action.

He added that flooding and other hazards further compound the dangers, particularly at bends with restricted sightlines.

“I think, at a bare minimum, improving sight lines should be the starting point,” he said, noting that works carried out on the Meath side of the border have already shown how effective such measures can be.

In response, the District Office confirmed that the location will be examined in consultation with the Transportation Section, with any feasible proposals to be progressed in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) through its approvals process.

Cllr Gaffney stressed that the matter should be treated with urgency, given the volume of traffic and ongoing safety concerns.