Nothing done to improve Laois road that claimed five lives in ten years

A Laois County Councillor has questioned how many lives must be taken on a Laois road before the Council takes action on road traffic safety measures. 

Fine Gael Cllr John King recently tabled a motion that Laois County Council make a 'serious request' for funding to widen and resurface the road at Middlemount, Rathdowney.

Cllr King brought attention to the fact that this area has been a black spot for accidents, claiming the lives of five locals within the last ten years.

"This is my fourth notice of motion about this, ten years ago we lost three young lives there," said Cllr King.

Pictured: Cllr Willie Aird (left), Cllr John King and Taoiseach Simon Harris at his recent Portlaoise visit.

"I am asked on a regular basis about this road. I can't understand, it is being kicked around at both council level and national level," Cllr King said.

"I'm still on this issue the whole time, and I want to see this handed to the appropriate section with funding secured. How many lives do have we to lose for action to be taken?" he asked.

"I am not going to accept this issue being kicked down the road, I even thought of going to RTE about it. They did ring me about it and I said that I would raise it again at a meeting.

"I want to get results and I don't want the loss of any more lives.  There is money for everything else, I want the council to pull out the stops and get funding for this issue once and for all," Cllr King concluded.

Cllr King's motion was seconded by Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney.

"I want to thank John for bringing this up again, because it's a hot topic in my area as well," Cllr Clooney said.

"The road from Durrow to Rathdowney is a dangerous road, and it has been brought up several times. Nothing has been done. We see the evidence along the road when we see the tombstones, and its not a nice sight. these tombstones represent families, who still have to carry these burdens," he said.

Pictured: Mourners gathered at the scene of the accident which claimed the lives of locals Angela Kelly, Orla Curry and Martin Brophy in 2015. Pic: Irish Times

"Even people exiting these roads and coming into the roads from lanes, you're taking your life in your hands there, because there is speed involved there as well, and certainly the road is not fit for purpose.

There should be an emergency fund for it, you don't have to hold any type of investigation because the evidence is very clear. I want this road from Durrow to Rathdowney seen to," Cllr Clooney said.

Independent Cllr James Kelly fully supported Cllr King's proposal, and inquired as to whether there had been contact with landowners about widening this stretch of road.

"There has been, the landowners have been met and agreed with it," Cllr King replied.

"One land owner wanted to do some building and he was told not to- it was all planned and the field was marked for it. I am not going to accept any more headstones on the side of this road," he said.

"I have been asked from the meat factory side with the buses, and from the manor stone side. But we don't want any more deaths on this road. It has to be seen to," Cllr King finished.

"The road design section will request a meeting with the respective Department of Transport inspector to review the location, the historical data and develop an application for funding under the appropriate scheme," replied Acting Paul McLoughlin,  Director of Services with Laois County Council.

This matter was raised at the November sitting of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District of Laois County Council.