Painting to stop daily deadly dash!
TRADERS in Laurence Street are hoping that the pedestrian crossings near their businesses can get a lick of paint as part of the Fleadh preparations.
The road markings at the two crossings – at the junctions of Shop Street and Laurence Street and Shop Street and West Street – have been practically worn away, leaving it difficult for motorists to even see there is a crossing.
Owners of four businesses in the busy street say they see pedestrians almost being struck by cars every day as they try to cross the road.
“‘ see so many near-misses throughout the day from the coffee shop, as pedestrians try to cross the road from one side of Laurence Street to the other,’ says Shane Carberry in Ariosa café.
‘You can barely see the road markings at all, and the lights aren’t enough to let the drivers know that people will be suddenly walking out in front of them.’
Declan Kierans owns the Pain Factory and has watched the situation worsening from his regular coffee spot in front of the café.
‘We’ve all been working so hard in the street to get ready for the Fleadh, but we hope things like this will be addressed in good time,’ he says.
‘I know the streets will be closed during the festival, so these crossings won’t be so important, but it doesn’t look great and they should be done for our own shoppers.’
On the opposite side of the road, customers of Kirwan’s Fish Cart must regularly make the deadly dash across the road, as cars come from two different direction.
‘ The crossings are too close to the end of the street as it, but with the paint worn off it is even more dangerous, as cars can’t even tell it’s there,’ says owner Patrick Kirwan.
‘I see it most at the crossing from the bottom of Peter Street to West Street, as motorists are looking to their right to watch for traffic from West Street and are often surprised by people walking out in front of them.’
Joe Stafford owns two businesses at the bottom of Laurence Street, and says a long-term traffic plan is needed.
‘From our shops we see pedestrians in constant danger, but also traffic grind to a halt as streams of people cross the roads,’ says the owner of the family delicatessen and Izmoo Gelataria.
‘ Two out of the four junction crossings have been painted, with the two most dangerous left untouched, and that can be even more confusing for motorists and pedestrians, and just last week, I’ve saw a car just about stop in time before hitting a woman with a buggy.’