Confusion and 'near misses' on Portlaoise Main Street

Confusion remains in Portlaoise over who has the right of way at a busy junction on Main Street.

The unusual system gives the right of way to a side street exiting onto Main Street beside the new library, forcing Main Street traffic to stop.

This week councillors have raised concerns again that it is not safe.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald tabled a motion asking Laois County Council to examine its traffic management at the junction to Church Avenue.

"I've watched this and seen a few near misses. It was always a one way street. The right of way was changed because of the primary schools (on Church Avenue). Parents couldn't get out on to the Main Street.

"People speed down the Main Street but there is danger at the moment. Lots of people have said to me that there have been near mmisses," she said.

She adds that "scooters and bikes come straight out of Pepper's Lane".

"The area needs to be addressed," she said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded the motion.

"It's a tight junction. There is no harm reviewing it," she said.

Cllr Thomasina Connell suggests there are too many stops, but the council's engineer disagreed with her.

"You stop at the stop sign, then you might have to stop at the zebra crossing. Something's not right. I fully support this," she said.

Engineer Paul McLoughlin explains that the point is to slow traffic in favour of pedestrians.

"We all want traffic calmed. It might be inconvenient but you have to be alert, that's the intention," he said.

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Meanwhile Cllr Willie Aird welcomed the installation of another disability parking zone at the library.

The primary schools moved out of Church Street in 2017 to the new Holy Family campus.

Last April Cllr Fitzgerald's motion on the issue got the reply that the 

council was "amenable to the request" and would give further details in coming months.