'Not right or proper' no crossing at biggest sports club in Laois

A safe pedestrian crossing is needed on the road at Rathleague for Portlaoise GAA Club, a council meeting was told. 

Cllr Willie Aird’s motion on the matter was seconded by Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald at the latest Portlaoise Municipal District meeting.  

Cllr Aird's motion stated "that Laois County Council be complimented on the work done at Rathleague and to examine the possibility of installing a safe crossing for children coming off the footpath into the Portlaoise GAA Club." 

Senior Engineer Paul McLoughlin said: “The compliments are noted and will be relayed to the staff concerned. The request for the provision of a crossing will be examined in the context of the prevailing conditions and the applicable relevant standards for the design and installation of such measures.” 

Cllr Aird likened the council’s response to a bank manager who goes on and on for ages but provides nothing in the end. He said children have nowhere to safely cross the road. 

“I was asked by young woman with two small children that uses the GAA Club,” said Cllr Aird. 

“How can we come into a meeting and allow something that is not right and proper,” the Fine Gael Councillor said. 

“We are actually going to encourage more walking and bicycles and then you come and you have to cross that road and you are telling me because it is a road that there’s a letter on that we can’t do anything about it. I don’t accept that,” said Cllr Aird.  

“Arrangements have been made in the past because of the particular type of road and the use of the particular road. We have hundreds of kids going in there on a daily basis,” he said. 

“We are going to ask them to cross that busy road without any help from us. I have to say that that is wrong,” said Cllr Aird.

He insisted that he would not give up on the matter and said he would have another motion if nothing is done. 

“It is now the biggest club in the county is in there and we have to allow for that. The road specifications have been changed because of what is out there. We have done it on the Borris road with the schools,” said Cllr  Aird. 

“I am asking please don’t wait until something happens on that road,” he said. 

Mr McLoughlin asked that his comments not be misrepresented in relation to who will or won’t allow a pedestrian crossing on the road. 

“There is a dropped kerb. It is an uncontrolled crossing that is there,” he said. 

Cllr Aird said it is not a safe road to cross. 

Mr McLoughlin said he understood and appreciated the notice of motion but pointed out that the road has an 80km speed limit. 

“Flashing pedestrian crossings in accordance with the standards are not permitted in 80km an hour zones,” he said. 

Fianna Fail Councillor Catherine Fitzgerald supported the motion and said she believed that a pedestrian crossing had been part of the plan for the development. 

“Is there any possibility that we as councillors could reduce the speed limits and would that be a way of solving this,” she asked. 

She said there were a number of schools in the area and parents would be nervous that there is no crossing.

“I am proposing that today that we start that process of reducing the speed limit,” she said.  

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Mr McLoughlin explained that the last speed limit reviews happen roughly every five years and the last one took place in 2019.

“Local Authorities, if they wish to review speed limits sooner than that they can do it,” he said. 

However, he asked councillors not to underestimate the volume of work involved and he said a number of roads would generally be done at the same time. 

Fine Gael Cllr Barry Walsh said he believed “there is a serious danger to the public” and the process needs to begin.

Mr McLoughlin said the speed limit wasn’t going to change in the short term. 

“We are all in agreement that we want the safest possible solution out there for pedestrians,” said Mr McLoughlin. 

“What I am saying to you is that we won’t put in a half measure that doesn’t apply to any standard and gives a false perception of comfort or right of way to a pedestrian,” he said. 

Cllr Fitzgerald said it was a special case and the location needs a speed limit reduction. She said the councillors won't be looking for such a move every week but it was needed here. 

Mr McLoughlin said he would report back to the councillors on the matter.