Anger at 6 months of issues at traffic lights
Delays in town highlighted
FED-UP COUNCILLORS have heavily criticised the delays caused by the traffic lights at the Grand Hotel junction in Wicklow town, which have led to to huge traffic tailbacks.
The congestion is being caused by a fault with traffic light’s sensors, and problems have been experienced for over six months.
Cllr Irene Winters said: ‘On Friday afternoon I counted 38 cars at the junction and only four on Marlton Road. It is really, really hampering business. The retailers are very annoyed.’
COUNCILLORS have lashed out at huge tailbacks caused by the traffic lights at the Grand Hotel junction and maintain they are ‘getting it in the neck’ from fed-up members of the public.
A problem with the sensors for the traffic lights means motorists are being delayed, even at times when there is little or no traffic on the roads.
At Monday’s meeting of Wicklow Municipal District, Cllr Irene Winters said the problem has been ongoing for over six months ‘hampering’ businesses in Wicklow town.
‘On Friday afternoon there I counted 38 cars at the junction and only four on Marlton Road. It is really, really hampering business. The retailers are very annoyed. At this stage it would nearly be better to just switch the lights off. This has been going on since April so we are talking over six months’.
District Engineer Kevin Scanlon said some ducting work needed to be carried out first, either this week or next week, followed by work on the sensors. The unavailability of a contractor was the main reason for the delayed works.
Cllr Mary Kavanagh was also critical of the tailbacks being caused by the traffic lights.
‘It has been going on for so long now that people are wondering if a roundabout would be a better option. Look at the Rathnew roundabout and there are never any delays there. At the Grand junction you could be sitting there for three to four minutes with nothing coming the other way. Could we carry out a feasibility study into the roundabout?’
Cllr John Snell said a feasibility study into a roundabout at the Grand Hotel junction was carried out a number of years ago didn’t recommend such an option.
‘Pedestrian access had to be above vehicular access and it was felt that while vehicles can pass easily with a roundabout, pedestrians can’t. The traffic may move freely at the Rathnew roundabout but pedestrians don’t and it is an accident just waiting to happen’.
Cllr Gail Dunne said: ‘You could be the only person at those traffic lights at 4 a.m. in the morning and you are still left waiting. It’s not good enough and like Cllr Winters says, this has been going on for over six months and we are getting it in the neck’.
Cllr Winters wondered if large heavy good vehicles coming up Wicklow Main Street and then taking a very tight corner had caused damage to any of the traffic light ducting. Mr Scanlon replied that a duct had collapsed but not due to heavy goods vehicles.
I COUNTED 38 CARS AT THE JUNCTION AND ONLY FOUR ON MARLTON ROAD... AT THIS STAGE IT WOULD NEARLY BE BETTER TO SWITCH THE LIGHTS OFF