'Immediate steps' required on tailbacks at Green Bridge

Glynn wants changes at two town locations

Traffic problems at two separate areas in Mullingar – the Green Bridge and the hospital – were raised for discussion by Cllr Ken Glynn at the most recent meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad committee, held in Mullingar last week.

Cllr Glynn told officials “immediate steps” are required to reduce the long tailbacks which are occurring on a regular basis from the Green Bridge right back towards the fire station.

The Fianna Fáil man also called on the committee to review pedestrian safety at the roundabout near Mullingar hospital, given the close proximity to the roundabout of a busy pedestrian crossing on the western side.

Green Bridge

The official written response by Council officials stated that the Green Bridge Junction has been close to being at capacity for a number of years and was significantly relieved by the opening of the Grange Newbrook link road in May 1999.

“The introduction of the adaptive traffic lights system under the recent street enhancement works allows for better management of traffic flows on all four arms of this junction and will be monitored,” the response concluded.

Cllr Glynn said that “to be fair”, the stretch from the railway station up was the only one of the four arms that was not functioning properly.

Hospital

Cllr Glynn went on to say he regularly uses the hospital junction and believes that the issue is motorists tend to stop suddenly on the roundabout because of its proximity to the pedestrian crossing.

“I’ve seen a couple of near misses in the last week myself,” he stated.

The response from the council executive stated that a full road safety audit was carried out at that location.

“The recommended upgrade works undertaken at this pedestrian crossing in 2015 under a non-national Low Cost Safety Scheme included for the upgrade of Belisha beacons, advance warning signage and road markings. No further works are necessary,” the council stated

Cllr Glynn disagreed with the statement that no further works were necessary and suggested that the director of services visit the junction some mornings and evenings and witness the issues for himself.