Speed ramps called for on busy road leading to historical site in Laois

There has been calls for speed ramps to be installed on the road leading to the Rock of Dunamase from the N80 to combat speeding.

Councillor Paschal McEvoy made the request to Laois County Council at the January meeting of the Graiguecullen / Portarlington MD.

Cllr McEvoy said he raised the issue a few years ago and was told at the time that Laois County Council would assess the road closer to when the carpark at the Rock of Dunamase was developed.

The construction of a new visitor carpark and toilets at the historical site in Laois got underway last year following a large scale archaeological survey.

Funding of €1,797,894 had been approved under the EU Just Transition Fund for Laois County Council to construct the new car and bus park adjacent to the Rock of Dunamase.

The project includes a carpark which will consist of 40 carparking spaces and one disabled space, as well as two bus parking bays.

Designated parking spots, including two disabled parking spaces, will also be located at the nearby Church of Ireland chapel.

As the project nears completion, Cllr McEvoy urged that safety measures must be installed on the road to facilitate the traffic.

He said: "Something needs to be done because it's a narrow road and people are speeding up and down it. It's definitely dangerous. "

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Senior Executive Engineer for the Graiguecullen / Portarlington MD, Tom Drennan, told Cllr McEvoy: "Laois County Council notes that traffic calming ramps are not typically permitted on rural roadways."

However, he added: "Notwithstanding that, the area office in conjunction with Road Design will review the area and will arrange for a technical assessment to be carried out and consider options from there."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme