Council searches for solution as speed sign batteries repeatedly stolen
A councillor has called for a long term solution as flashing speed warning signs remain out of action
Concerns over speeding in local villages have resurfaced at Carrick-on-Suir’s monthly Municipal District meeting held on June 25, alongside frustration about the repeated theft and replacement of batteries used in flashing speed warning signs.
Labour Councillor Michael Brennan raised the issue, asking whether the council plans to replace non-functioning flashing speed signs in areas where speeding complaints are ongoing.
“I was elected three years ago and that’s when I first brought up this issue,” he told the meeting.
“They’re all in areas where people complain on numerous occasions about speeding. It’s been a while now since we’ve had batteries replaced and I know they’ve been stolen, but I was hoping the council would identify a way they wouldn’t be stolen in the future.”
Responding, District Engineer Michael Scully said repeated replacement of batteries was not a sustainable solution due to ongoing theft.
“If you want I’ll put more batteries in them and they’ll be stolen and you’ll be coming back to me again next week or next month asking for more batteries,” he said.
“That’s not the solution. I’ll try to find a solution and I’m open to alternatives here. If that’s how you want me to spend my funding, I’ll spend it that way but you’ll be losing out because of it,” he warned councillors.
“It’s only signage, that’s the only real alternative,” he said.
“If I put a battery in and knew it could be tamper proof and wouldn’t be taken, I’d happily do it. But if I put it in again this week, I’ll be putting it in again in a few months’ time.”
The dispute underlined the ongoing challenge facing the council, with repeated theft of batteries leaving flashing speed warning signs unreliable and leaving them with no easy solution to fix this issue.