Action needed on road safety at Laois soccer club 

Road safety action is needed at the entrance to a Laois soccer club entrance where a fatality occurred in recent years, a meeting was told.  

Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins requested works be carried  out at Arlington Soccer Club in Portarlington.

He asked in a motion “that Laois County Council implement road safety measures on Lea Road, Portarlington at the entrance to the Soccer Pitch”.

In response, Senior Executive Engineer, Tom Drennan said: “Laois County Council notes the road leading from the R420 into Arlington Soccer pitch is a private entrance. Notwithstanding this the Graiguecullen/ Portarlington MD office will review this section of road approaching the turn off and from there will determine what interventions are possible with regards to road safety.” 

Cllr Mullins accepted that it was aware that it was a private entrance but said the entrance posed a “high risk to traffic” along the busy R420 road. He explained that motorists approach the road from a lower position so their bonnets are raised leading to increased difficulty in observing approaching traffic.  He suggested the use of signage to improve safety at the location.   

“There was a fatality there with someone coming from the pitch a few years ago,” Cllr Mullins said. 

His motion was seconded by Independent Cllr Ben Brennan at the monthly meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.