Residents take the legal route

LOCAL residents have engaged a senior counsel to seek a judicial review of the closure of Waterloo Junction.

Writing in the Irish Independent on Tuesday, Ralp Riegel reported that a solicitor acting for local residents has written to the council claiming it has acted unreasonable and will face judicial review proceedings unless the road is re-opened once appropriate works are completed.

In legal documentation seen by Independent.ie, residents warned the council they now face injunction proceedings.

“It appears to us that the council has acted irrationally and unreasonably in closing this pubic road,” the letter warned.

“As a result, we have sent the papers to counsel to advise on judicial review proceedings and in particular seeking an interlocutor mandatory injunction compelling the county council to re-open the public road pending the determination of any such proceedings.”

The council has been warned that unless the road is re-opened pending a detailed discussion of how to address safety concerns, they will face immediate High Court action.

A spokesperson for Waterloo Access Group ( WAG) said it was clear the council never considered the impact on Waterloo or Whitechurch residents of a permanent road closure.

Residents have been backed by the daughter of one US tourist who died in a collision at the junction.

Diane Baker said she believed the permanent closure of the junction appeared to be very unfair to local residents.

“Only one turn seems to be inflating the risk, and that’s the right-hand turn from the N20 to Waterloo road that many tourists are directed to take via their satnav systems when travelling to Blarney,” she said.