Laois housing estate petitions council for speed ramps

Families in a Laois housing estate are so fearful that their children will be hit by traffic that they have sent a petition into Laois County Council asking for speed ramps.

Two councillors in Portlaoise Municipal District have tabled motions on the issue, affecting Masslough Meadows housing estate in Ballinakill, home to the county's only outdoor heated public swimming pool and the magnificent Heywood Gardens.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley and Cllr John Joe Fennelly ask for traffic calming.

"This is a lovely small estate in Ballinakill. Residents contacted me a couple of months ago. They have a lovely green, but children play on it and run straight off," Cllr Dwane Stanley said.

She said she is submitting a petition signed by the residents, but said two residents are not in favour of a ramp.

"One person won't be in favour. Another is concerned at where the ramp would go," she said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley also said that a streetlight at the entrance is "completely covered in" by a tree, asking for it to be cut back.

"I've given a commitment to them to do something to make it safer," she said.

Cllr Fennelly explained where the ramp is needed.

"The concern that residents have is when you come in the entrance there is a straight area of road, that's where the speed is happening seemingly. They are looking for a ramp between there and the green. I look forward to having Wes out and finding a proposal that all are happy with," he said.

The ramps are going in.

Read also: No 'Berlin wall' size speed ramps wanted on Portlaoise shortcut road

In reply to their motions, the Portlaoise MD engineer Wes Wilkinson said that traffic calming ramps will be installed on the L81060, near house number 3, and between houses number 16 and 17. 

The money will come from the councillors' own discretionary budgets for traffic works in 2025.

He also said he will meet Cllr Fennelly on site to agree additional traffic calming measures.