Action to make parking opposite Portlaoise school illegal
Residents of a housing estate in Portlaoise want action taken to stop schooltime traffic from blocking their estate entrance.
The Ardan Glas estate faces Portlaoise College.
The residents requested a meeting some months ago with Laois County Council to highlight their issues, and the council has now agreed that work will be undertaken to make parking illegal in areas of the estate.
Portlaoise Municipal District's February meeting heard an update from engineer Wes Wilkinson.
"Ardan Glas is on the Mountrath road opposite Portlaoise College. I met residents and issues were highlighted to me about parking near the entrance and up the hill towards the back part of the estate.
"It becomes congested particularly at school collection times. There is concern that there would not be emergency access during those periods," he said.
He had a sketch for Portlaoise councillors to approve, showing where double yellow lines are to be painted at the junction. The lines make it illegal to park at any time, so that a traffic warden can then issue tickets to offenders.
A yellow box is also proposed inside the estate entrance, which Mr Wilkinson said would improve road visibility and safety.
Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley proposed a go-ahead, seconded by Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald.
"I fully support this, it is badly needed. There are other areas, can we do them at the same time? I am thinking of the Timahoe Road near the adult daycare centre, and the Borris Road. Can a contractor do them all together?" Cllr Fitzgerald asked.
Mr Wilkinson said that those areas are on a list of works to be completed in 2022.
"It is great to see this . Ardan Glas has been asking for this for years, they are a great residents association," Cllr Dwane Stanley said.