Works about to begin at Chapel Road
PATH and roadworks on Chapel Road in Delgany will begin over the coming weeks, as land agreements between Wicklow County
Council and landowners are formally signed.
Parents at St Laurence’s School have had concerns about the area for some years as they said the pathway is narrow and dangerous.
Due to the narrowness of the road, it is impossible for a car to pass a truck without one of the vehicles having to mount the path.
Linda Norman of the parents’ association said that they couldn’t believe the news.
‘It’s absolutely fantastic,’ she said.
With trucks, bin lorries and even other parents mounting the kerb, she said the current situation ‘made it really difficult to walk to school.’
‘It would be great if it was finished this school year,’ she said. Cllr Jennifer Whitmore expressed her delight at the news. She said that often children could be walking on the path when a vehicle mounts it.
‘ This is a near-daily occurrence and is an accident waiting to happen. I am delighted, and very much relieved, that this will be fixed very soon.’
She thanked the landowners for their support in the matter. ‘It was obvious from our meetings that the safety of the children was a matter of concern for them and I’m very grateful that they have agreed to allow the council access to a section of their land to enable the paths to be widened. And I would also like to acknowledge the work that the council have done on this project.’
Work is expected to begin within a couple of months. The council can start once a number of ESB poles have been moved.
Funding for the project was announced in April 2016, with the NAtional Transport Authority funding the safety works.
Six-hundred pupils attend St Laurence’s school.