Another Stop sign the answer at Chord Road

LOUTH County Council admitted to ‘changing their mind’ on new measures to tackle a dangerous junction, but still might look at another solution to making it safer.

Work was due to be carried out at the junction of Constitution Hill and Chord Road, to switch right of way to the hill, and place a stop sign at the Chord Road.

However, that decision was scrapped, and they may now look at placing TWO Stop signs instead!

‘We changed our minds, and I’ll tell you why,’ explained Senior Engineer Darius Messiah. ‘If we remove the stop sign from the hill, drivers will continue up the hill at the same speed, and I was approached by members of the public when they heard this, and said they wouldn’t have time to cross at the bottom of Francis Street, especially people with buggies or in wheelchairs.’

‘ That’s the main reason we left it as it is, and the money was used elsewhere in the road’s budget. It’s safer to leave it as it is.’

Cllr Pio Smith says he travels the road every day, and he says motorists don’t stop at the

The Constitution Hill junction sign anyway, and the fear is still there.

‘Either way, there is a problem, and walking away from it is not the right thing to do,’ he said.

Mr Messiah replied that people not stopping at a Stop sign is a matter for the gardai.

‘ The other option we can do, and we’re doing it elsewhere, is to put Stop signs both sides, and we can get an update on that for the next meeting.’