Portlaoise rugby players and forest walkers in the dark next to Motorway
A well walked busy road in Portlaoise is completely unlit, despite leading to a big sports club and a popular woodlands.
The road goes across the M7 Motorway at the Portlaoise Plaza, leading to Portlaoise Rugby Club and Togher woodlands. With much of the stretch shaded by trees, it leaves pedestrians utterly in the dark.
However Laois County Council is in the dark too on where they can get money to install a row of streetlights.
Director of Services for Roads Simon Walton said they want to install the lights.
"It is unlikely that it will be funded by the Active Travel programme. We've done work out to the Rugby club and Togher to provide connectivity. Bringing lights to Togher is our objective but it comes at a cost. We will provide the costings and when it comes to the time for deciding the next budget, you might consider it.
"Our second objective is a footpath to Togher Woods and complimentary lighting, but it all requires a budget. We want to facilitiate it," Mr Walton said.
He spoke in response to two separate motions tabled to the December meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District. Cllrs Marie Tuohy and Willie Aird both asked the council to install lighting from the Rugby club, to Junction 17 and to the National Enterprise Park.
Cllr Tuohy said hundreds of children attend training there.
"Under 12s have 350 children alone. It really is a safety risk. There are no lights from the club to the plaza, it's really noticeable. We've done so much work on the Abbeyleix road. Unless you're a club member you wouldn't realise the footfall," she said.
Cllr Aird was absent but Cllr Barry Walsh had tabled his motion on his behalf.
"We've all be contacted about this. We're trying to encourage kids and parents to walk. Public lighting is a no-brainer," he said.
Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley agreed.
"Aside from the rugby club, the whole area is used by people out walking," she said.
Portlaoise Municipal District Cathaoirleach is Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald.
"A lot of people do use it, we want to make it safer for eveyone," she said.