Speeding in estates and rural roads emerges as a major issue on Laois doorsteps

A policing meeting was told a road safety officer should be appointed by Laois County Council. 

Independent Cllr James Kelly asked about the position during a Laois Joint Policing Meeting. 

“Is this council going to appoint a fulltime road safety officer?” he asked. 

Councillors attending the meeting all raised concerns over speeding on rural roads in Laois. They agreed that speeding was a priority for people they were meeting while canvassing ahead of the local elections. 

“The big issue I see now is speed and safety on our roads and safety on our roads and housing estates…every estate I have gone to, they are all looking for ramps,” said Cllr Kelly. 

He expressed his belief that a dedicated road safety officer was needed for the county. 

“I think there is a major disregard for the laws of the road in this county,” he continued. 

Sinn Fein Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said speeding on rural roads “is the one consistent thing” she was hearing on doorsteps. She said on the Ballytegan Road, the Ballyfin Road and the Ridge Road “people are doing huge speeds”. 

Cllr Dwane Stanley said it was down to driver behaviour and she asked that something be done. 

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming agreed with the other councillors and said there should be a campaign aimed at driver behaviour on rural roads. 

“They are speeding on every road they can. There is no respect for pedestrians,” he said. 

 “People just don’t respect anybody on the roads now,” he said.  

He claimed the “speed is unbelievable” and in some areas he has been asked to get speed vans in operation.

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran said she had recently witnessed speeding at an estate. 

“There was kids out playing and everything,” she said. 

Garda Superintendent Eamon Curley said gardaí “are out and about as much as possible” to police the roads. He said a balanced approach was needed to tackle speeding with enforcement and education. 

“We are constantly examining areas where we can add resources,” he told the councillors.

“Every one of us has a role to play in relation to road safety,” he added.  

Cllr Moran said an education programme should be introduced for transition year students. 

She believed “they should leave school with a driving licence.” She said there isn’t enough education when it comes to driving and regarding the speed limit.

“I think kids think it is a target not a limit and it’s not just kids,” she said. 

She believed cycling lanes should be introduced on rural roads in the interest of safety. 

Assistant Senior Executive Officer with Laois County Council, Pamela Tynan, said she would seek clarification in relation to a role of road safety officer within the county.