Blackhall car park ‘needs paths and crossing’, say councillors

A plea to have a pedestrian crossing installed at Blackhall car park was made by Cllr Aoife Davitt at the December meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad – but she had to argue strongly to get a point across after the district responded that they had placed a speed ramp at the access road as part of traffic calming measures.

Cllr Davitt said she was aware of the speed ramp but it has been brought to her attention that for pedestrians trying to get from one area of the car park to another there are no pedestrian crossings.

“Where the large car park is over on the right-hand side – from where the recycling bins were moved – if you want to come up to, for example, Mount Street, or you want to go up one of the side streets, there is actually no designated place for a pedestrian to cross,” she told officials.

Cllr Davitt went on to state that there is also a need for footpaths for the safety of pedestrians.

Cllr Emily Wallace spoke in support of the motion: “It’s kind of a hairy situation for a pedestrian when you step off the designated footpath there is on one side, but on the other, it’s kind of helter-skelter.”

Cllr Wallace went on to add that a further problem is that Google Maps is directing cars the wrong way coming off Mount Street and heading to Blackhall.

She said the entire traffic management system within Blackhall needs to be re-examined.

Support came also from Cllr Julie McCourt: “There’s not a real designated walking space,” she said, adding that she has previously asked to have a painted pedestrian walkway provided: “A lot of children run across to the arts centre, the library, and sometimes they just run out through the car park.”

The mayor Cllr Ken Glynn agreed: “It can be quite dangerous there at times,” he said, adding that in the longer term, when the new town transport plan kicks in and if the swimming pool goes ahead as planned, that whole area will have to be redesigned.

However, he continued, at the moment the car park is “a bit of a free-for-all”.

District engineer, Pat Kavanagh, said the issue can be re-examined: “Traffic is actually growing fast at the moment, and you can see it in all of the roads right around us, the volumes are way up. So we certainly will examine it; we may have a look at maybe some more safety works out there.”

Taughmon

At the same meeting, Cllr Davitt asked that resurfacing work be carried out at Parsonstown, Taughmon, and to that, the response was that the district can consider resurfacing the road as part of the 2025 estimates.

Macetown

Cllr Davitt also asked that the district place ‘slow’ signs at Macetown and received an undertaking that the district will examine the road at that location to determine if signage is required.

Lakepoint

To a request from Cllr Davitt that the large tree at the main green in Lakepoint be pruned, the response was that the tree will be examined, and if pruning works are required they will be carried out within pruning season.

Crazy Corner

Cllr Davitt also sought an update on works to be carried out at Pass/Crazy Corner, but was told there is no current funding for works at that location. The official written response went on to say that, however, low-cost safety works can be considered as part of future grant programmes.

Disappointed, Cllr Davitt said traffic volumes are increasing, and that in addition, the road from the top of Rathconnell to Crazy Corner needs to be added to the gritting schedule.