Explosion in traffic requires emergency plan for town
EMERGENCY traffic measures are needed as three major buildings open in Wexford over the coming months.
Wexford Garda Station is opening to the public soon, the new Loreto school is due to open in November and the new courthouse is due to open in November.
Cllr George Lawlor described the road where the Loreto is opening as very dangerous.
Director of Services Tony Larkin said a development is likely to be built opposite the Whitford House Hotel also.
Cllr Frank Staples expressed concern about the Whitford junction with the new park set to open in 2018.
He said land sold opposite the hotel will most likely be used to build houses. ‘It’s a very busy spot and there are concerns about traffic coming in from Loreto.’
He suggested that a lane for traffic accessing the hotel could be laid.
Mr Kavanagh said the council has no plan to change the traffic management in the Killeens area presently.
Cllr Lisa McDonald said there are bottlenecks on the Killeens road, adding that when the new courthouse opens there will be up to 250 cars accessing it on weekdays.
‘There is serious concern from the residents at Wygram. If you think it’s bad now, it’s going to be worse and you also have the garda station opening. That’s three flagship buildings that are opening and we need a traffic plan to strategise how it’s going to be going forward.’
Traffic problems at Sinnottstown Lane were also highlighted by Cllr McDonald. She said: ‘I was told it needed an Ardcavan like response; I hope not! It’s been a long, hot summer out there sitting in traffic for both residents and employees. It’s dangerous and we are fixing roads that don’t have the same requirements.’
Cllr Davy Hynes said a Pineridge resident was confronted by the sight of works going on in front of the house by a Virgin Media crew recently, without having been given notice.
He expressed concern that in future other broadband providers like Sky may seek to dig up roads and footpaths in the town.
Senior engineer Sean Kavanagh said it is a positive development for the town that SIRO and Virgin broadband are being installed, adding that some estates, like Pineridge, will have new footpaths, which the borough council would not be in a position to lay for up to a decade.
He said: ‘We have had discussions about Sinnottstown Lane, but all these things need funding.’
He said many footpaths need to be upgraded and the council is working through assessments presently.
‘We don’t have control over when they come in for a road licence. We have to welcome the introduction of the gas and the water and broadband. We need these to help drive the advances that Wexford needs.’