Biodiversity planting requested beside busy Laois road

Plants to support biodiversity have been requested for the Portlaoise road verge in Abbeyleix, Laois.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly has asked Laois County Council to ask Transport Infrastructure Ireland to plant the “large green verge areas” on the N77 road.

“We all see the benefits in Portlaoise at the new roundabouts. There are a lot of areas on the n77 that have big wide verges. They are no benefit to farmers. They could be beautiful with wildflowers, we could look at getting a pilot scheme,” he said.

Cllr Fennelly is part of the award winning Abbeyleix Tidy Towns group.

“It would be great coming into Abbeyleix. We have a big biodiversity plan it would really enhance it,” he said.

Area engineer Wes Wilkinson undertook to make the request to the TII.