Call for speed limit reduction following near misses on Laois road

There were calls to lower the speed limit on the N78 at Crettyard before someone is killed on the road.

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming put down a motion highlighting “near misses” on the road which has two busy businesses along the 100kph section and no shops along an 80kph stretch.

He asked: “That Laois County Council Council for an update following a previous motion on progress to date and what effective safety measures are envisaged on the N78 at Crettyard at the petrol station /shop and Tirlan branch due to ongoing potential incidents and near misses at this location and also noting that the speed limit is 100kph outside of these businesses on a National road whereas in others areas where the speed limit is 80 MPH where there are no business”.

In a written reply, a Road Design Engineer stated that: “Roads Design have assessed this location on the N78 at Crettyard. Speed and Traffic Count surveys have been carried out. An application to the Kildare NRDO has been made to install additional signage and line-marking – awaiting response. Road Design will assess the speed limit at this location and review internally.”

Cllr Fleming said the area is dangerous because there are cars coming and going from both Tirlan and the petrol station in Crettyard. “The speed on the road is absolutely phenomenal,” he said. 

According  to Cllr Fleming, the  N78 has a 80kph limit from Castlecomer to the Laois border and there are no businesses around there. “The minute you come into Laois it is upped,” he said. 

“There have been a few near misses and people have got a fright,” said Cllr Fleming. 

Independent Cllr Ben Brennan seconded the motion and said “this has been going on for years and years and years.” 

He said the simple solution was to lower the speed along the N78 where the two Tirlan and the petrol station are located. “I am sick of it, we need action,” he said. 

“There will be someone killed on it and then there will be no bother in getting something done on it,” he said. 

Cllr Brennan said he would like to see the speed limit reduced to 30 or 50kmh and he said Kilkenny County Council were willing to work with the Laois County Council. 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran said Transport Infrastructure Ireland would need to be involved in any speed limit reduction but she said they ignore the council.

“You might as well be banging your head off a brick wall,” said Cllr Moran. 

She said the simple solution would be to change the speed limit and put a speed van at the location for a week. 

“There is no desire for TII to do it. The same with Arles, they will do nothing with Arles… they completely ignore every single request,” she said. 

Fine Gael Cllr Vivienne Phelan asked Senior Executive Engineer, Tom Drennan, to contact TII in relation to the matter. 

Cllr Moran said the TII are “paid with public money” but are “in a world of their own” and don’t realise the danger. 

She said the TII had promised Councillors a meeting in 2020 but she had heard “not one word” since. 

Cllr Aidan Mullins said it would be no harm to contact the ESB as well. 

Cllr Fleming said “the TII want cars to go faster on these roads, that’s the trouble.” 

The issue was discussed at the monthly meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.