Glynn frustrated over speed issues in 30kmh zones

A councillor from Mullingar has hit out at the county council over its reluctance to install anti-speed measures in areas where there is a 30kmh speed limit in existence.

“Just because it’s a 30kmh zone, it does not mean that the public are obeying it,” Cllr Ken Glynn told officials at the September meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad, after receiving a similar refusal in two separate cases.

Cllr Glynn had asked to have provision made for traffic calming measures in Grange Crescent in the next programme of budget works. The response from the council stated that the road in question was a cul-de-sac with a 30kmh speed limit.

“The need for traffic calming measures has not been identified,” the response concluded.

A second request made by Cllr Glynn was to have “immediate measures” undertaken to prevent cars driving over the recently installed roundabout in Ardleigh Vale.

“Instead of driving around it motorists are driving through it,” he stated.

The motorists’ actions were, Cllr Glynn continued, “a huge danger” to children playing in the area, and he suggested that the district also consider the provision of traffic calming measures in the next programme of budget works.

To this request, the response was that following previous requests from members, a grass roundabout was replaced due to damage caused by large vehicles. The response stated that the current roundabout is a standard mini roundabout design. “There is a 30kmh speed limit in this housing estate. It is considered that no further measures are required at this location,” the response concluded.

Cllr Glynn disagreed and stated that in cases where works are undertaken by the council and found to need “tweaking”, this should be done. It wasn’t good enough, he said, to just state that this was a proper design and then do nothing more about it. Cllr Glynn said he wanted officials to draw up a low-cost solution that would prevent motorists from driving across the roundabout.

Support for Cllr Glynn’s stance came from Cllr Denis Leonard, who said that while the budget was limited, where a low-cost solution could be found, he could not understand why the council would “skirt around the issue”.

“A lot of these issues are going to come back to haunt us if we don’t act in the appropriate amount of time,” he stated.

Cllr Andrew Duncan pointed out that the roundabout was on what was effectively a main artery of the town.

Director of services, Martin Murray undertook to have the issue re-examined.

Covid fund of €179,000 allocated to Westmeath

An allocation of €179,600 has just been announced for Westmeath, to help communities fund works to enable them survive the coronavirus crisis.

Details came through just before the conclusion on Monday of last week of the September meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad of the allocations made under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2020 Accelerated Measure in response to Covid-19.

Director of services, Martin Murray, revealed that Westmeath Tourism is to receive €49,600; Multyfarnham is to receive €39,600; Killucan Rathwire is to get €25,000; Delvin is to get €25,000; Rochfortbridge €25,000 and Ballynacargy €25,000.

Cllr John Shaw welcomed the allocations and said he thought that the provision of covered areas for trading or outside gatherings was a very good idea. He wondered if the locations for such covered areas had been decided and what the timeframe was.

Mr Murray said the aim is to have the works done by the end of November and the council is liaising with community groups at those locations to see where the facilities should be provided. The area envisaged for Killucan Rathwire is the green area opposite the Market House.