Fear of road deaths over cars speeding through Laois village

Road deaths are feared over the "absolutely crazy " speed of cars "flying through" a Laois village with no radar signs.

Ballickmoyler village lies on a crossroads on the busy N80 road between Carlow and Portlaoise.

Traffic passing through is not obeying speed limits says a local councillor. 

"Cars are flying through the village, from the Arles side and the Carlow side. They are coming very fast," Cllr Padraig Fleming said. 

He tabled a motion to the March meeting of the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District, asking for Transport Infrastructure Ireland to put traffic calming on the approach roads.

He wants speed radars on both sides, and more road markings painted "in the interest of health and safety for all".

"People are very afraid there will be a fatality. They are finding it dangerous, the cars are at such speed. There have been accidents there recently, and some near misses," he said.

"On the road itself, the speed sign as you come in is 50kmh, but a car was clocked at 87, absolutely crazy altogether. 

"The road to Killeen and Tolerton is a zig zag but cars are passing. The signage is not good. It doesn't say slow down. I know the signs say there is a zig zag, but they are ignored quite a lot. A speed radar is the most effective," Cllr Fleming said.

However the reply from Laois County Council will slow down works he claimed.

The council said that they will do speed assessments and then have discussions with the TII about traffic calming measures.

"I think the answer will slow down progress to get this done. I prefer a proactive approach, to go ahead and put up speed radars. There have been accidents, a bit of injury as well, very frightening situations. we need safety into that village. We need radar signs in the next few weeks, but with this answer it won't happen," he warned.

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The council engineer said that the speed assessments will take two weeks. 

"If it shows what I say and people say, could signs be put up in a month?" Cllr Fleming asked.

"This is an urgent issue. This is the only village on the N80 from Mountmellick to Graiguecullen that is not highlighted. It's the last to be done. It should be moved on as fast as possible," he added.