Vulnerable road users need a pedestrian crossing in this Kildare town

A new pedestrian crossing is needed in Naas to protect vulnerable road users.

Independent councillor Bill Clear asked Kildare County Council to redesign the area in front of the Church of Our Lady and St David, the Mercy Convent Primary School, and McAuley Place.

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He wants a zebra crossing put there.

“No part of the town is more unsafe. A crossing should at least be designed to make a start on this,” said Cllr Clear, at a Naas Municipal District committee meeting.

Cllr Evie Sammon said the councillors were told that a pedestrian crossing would be provided after parking spaces were taken away but “four  years later there is no crossing.”In a report KCC engineer Donal Hodgins said KCC has outlined plans to transform the outside of the school/church environment on Sallins Road and the  main objective is to significantly improve facilities for vulnerable road users and address  accessibility and ease of movement for pedestrians.

“However, there are significant constraints including the camber of the carriageway, existing drainage, public lighting provision, the standard of footpath surfaces, safety concerns regarding the existing perpendicular car parking, the lack of accessibility at the bus stop.”

He added all these  need to be resolved as part of a solution for this area (and) any plans would require significant consultation with relevant stakeholders.

He said a design would be “most effective with a complete reimagining of the streetscape from the junction at Poplar Square to the junction of Wolfe Tone Street

This design, he said, would emphasise “reducing the attractiveness for traffic to drive outside this sensitive area.”

He also said this is a significant project requiring central government funding and “there are no known significant funding opportunities available.”