Elderly at risk on busy road at Ferrybank, say residents
ELDERLY people are being forced to put their lives at risk by having to negotiate one of the most congested roads in Wexford because of works on footpaths, according to some local residents.
‘I have noticed people out walking in the area over the last few days at the present moment in time these have to cross the main road twice if they wish to walk into town,’ said a resident, who asked not to be identified.
He said the footpath is raised in two places, near the the Riverbank House Hotel, meaning that the road has to be crossed there and then crossed again outside Ferrybank Motors.
‘The traffic is bad enough, but these crossings are making it very hazardous for the residents,’ said the man, adding that he believed one of the paths had been dug up after being resurfaced, however, both the county council and the contractor said this was not the case.
Contractor Willie Hayden said said work at Ardcavan was ahead of schedule and denied that anyone was being put at risk.
‘We have footpaths closed signs in place and dropped kerbs where they can cross the road,’ he said.
‘The traffic is not disrupted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as people were previously notified.’
A county council spokesman dismissed suggestions that freshly-laid footpaths had been dug up and replaced.
He said old footpath panels were being replaced with new footpath panels and new kerbing was being installed where it is required.
‘We envisage these footpath replacement works will be complete by end of September, ahead of schedule,’ said the council’s communications manager David Minogue.
‘Once this phase is complete, work will commence on planing out the old road surface along this stretch and replacing it with a new pavement.
‘This phase of the works should be completed within a week.
‘Overall we expect the works to be complete by the end of the first week of October at the latest. Works are of course weather-dependent,’ he said.
Mr Minogue said traffic disruption has been and will continue to be kept to an absolute minimum during the course of these essential works.
He said the works were properly signed and guarded in accordance with relevant regulations.
Meanwhile, the AA has indentified the road through Ferrybank to Wexford town as one of the 10 areas in the country with the biggest volume of traffic as schools reopen after the summer holidays.
Advising motorists to allow extra time for commuting, with the new school year starting and the end of the holiday season, it says traffic volumes will start to increase this week.