Cars forced to 'poke out' at busy Limerick junction
Council says it does not have funds to carry out safety works in village
MOTORISTS using a busy junction in Hospital are being forced to “poke out” onto the road because of the volume of traffic passing through the village on a daily basis.
That was the claim at the October meeting of the of Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District where renewed calls were made for urgent safety works to be carried out.
Elected members were unanimous in their calls for something to be done at the Emly Road junction in the village
The R513 intersects with the R516 in Hospital, meaning the junction also caters for traffic travelling to and from Bruff, Herbertstown and Knocklong.
Councillor Brigid Teefy submitted a motion which was seconded by Councillor Eddie Ryan who said cars have to “poke out” before navigating the junction. “I’m in Hospital daily and the volume of traffic is unbelievable,” he said adding: “It’s an “accident waiting to happen.”
Councillor Noreen Stokes also supported the motion saying: “It is a treacherous place, it is a blind spot.”
The junction has long been an issue in Hospital, particularly for traffic which is turning right to travel in the direction of Bruff.
Cllr Ryan explained how “the angle is wrong”, particularly for truck drivers coming from Limerick, who must make a sharp right hand turn when travelling towards Bruff.
Darragh Corcoran, acting senior Executive Engineer for the district agreed there is an issue and he noted that a monument in the centre of the junction “is serving no great advantage” from a traffic perspective.
Senior Executive Engineer, Trevor McKechnie said the cost of any safety works will be substantial and he suggested that seeking funding under the Active Travel Scheme “is the best avenue”.
He said a preliminary design prepared by a contracting company came to a “six figure sum” which he added: “We don’t have.”
Mr McKechnie told councillors a “signalised design is probably the best option” and that “it would really benefit pedestrians and cyclists” as well as motorists.
There was an air of frustration amongst councillors over the slow progress in progressing a solution, given the long-running concerns. Cllr Ryan emphasised how they have “spent ten years talking about this, but it is still an issue”.
Cllr Eddie Ryan emphasised how they have ‘spent ten years talking about this, but it is still an issue’
Concerns about pedestrian safety were also highlighted as businesses including a pharmacy, a busy shop and a GP clinic are located on opposite sides of the road, close to the junction.
Cllr Teefy noted how “businesses on both sides of the road” are affected by the volume of traffic at the junction.
Councillor Gregory Conway also suggested that disabled parking should be installed near the junction.