Castlpollard traffic concerns 'increasingly urgent'

Castlpollard traffic concerns 'increasingly urgent'

Traffic concerns ‘increasingly urgent’

A warning that traffic safety at Castlepollard is increasingly urgent was issued at the June meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District, by Cllr Alfie Devine, who said the town can’t be left waiting for safety measures until after regeneration works complete.

At the meeting, when he asked for an update on when additional ramps would be installed on key approach roads into the town, the District Office confirmed that a ramp was installed on one approach road last year, and two further ramps are scheduled for installation in 2026.

Cllr Devine said demand for additional measures far exceeded what had been delivered to date, warning that multiple approach roads into the town were experiencing significant traffic volumes, and speeding. He said he was “inundated with calls” from residents, pointing in particular to the Finea and Granard Roads and near the Mace shop and medical surgery.

“There’s six or seven roads leading into Castlepollard and we’ve only one ramp done,” he said. “The Finea Road is the worst because there are children to get to school. There’s no pedestrian crossing, no lights, nothing. Parents are walking children across it.”

He said Castlepollard had been left behind compared with other villages where traffic calming measures had already been delivered, and urged the council to prioritise interim solutions while longer-term town regeneration works progress.

“We can’t wait for the regeneration of the town centre because that’s going to take years. We need something in the interim to alleviate speeding. Castlepollard hasn’t been prioritised over the last couple of years.”

Query on lighting and playground upgrade

Concern about lighting in Newtown Lawns and progress on playground upgrades in Mullingar Town Park were on the mind of Cllr Bill Collentine at the June meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District.

He sought an update on faulty or unserviceable lights at Newtown Lawns, highlighting issues with public lighting.

In response, the Transportation Department said the lighting network is directly connected to the electricity supply and requires “unbundling” before routine maintenance can be carried out.

That involves the installation of appropriate electrical isolation points and rewiring, and would require significant investment.

Officials said the project will be considered in the context of funding for 2026, meaning no routine maintenance can take place until the unbundling works are completed.

Cllr Collentine also requested an update on a playground upgrade in Mullingar Town Park. The District Office confirmed that the works have gone to tender, and a contractor is to be appointed in the coming weeks.

It was also stated that the playground in the centre of the town park has been re-fenced as part of ongoing improvement works.