Serious traffic congestion problem in part of large Offaly town
A SUBMISSION from residents living in Forest View Birr was mentioned during a three hour discussion about the draft Birr Local Area Plan during a special meeting of Offaly County Council in Áras an Chontae Tullamore on Monday afternoon.
The Local Area Plan is a statutory document that sets out the planning and development objectives for Birr and is prepared in accordance with the Planning and Development Act 2000.
In their submission to the draft Plan two residents of Forest View stated that, “Traffic from any proposed development not using the proposed Birr Northern Distributor Road should not be permitted to use the Forest View access route. Use of this route would lead traffic from proposed developments to exit onto the Main Birr / Banagher Regional Road R439 with inadequate sight distance and join congested traffic from the Community School plus traffic from all the following areas to Eden corner where a roundabout exists and accidents and near misses occur frequently: Cappaneale Upper, Cappaneale and Cappaneale Park, St Brendan's Community School, Presentation Place, Castle Court, Eden Road, Demesne View, a busy service station, etc. Traffic is already at an unsustainable level on this road. The proposed Distributor Road would provide a viable reduction of traffic on this route.”
The councillors said on Monday that planning permission has been granted for another forty houses in the Forest View area which unfortunately will add to the traffic congestion on the Forest View access route. However, also on Monday, they changed the wording of the Local Area Plan. The purpose of this change, they said, is to allow the creation of other access routes (accessing other potential building developments) in the area in the future. The creation of other access routes will mean traffic going to potential future building developments won't be using the Forest View Access Route.
Cllr John Carroll told the Tribune that the 380 metres Distributor Road will have possibly three access roads running south: to Lidl, to Gaelscoil na Laochra and to potential residential development. Years ago this area was designated for a FAS development under the controversial decentralisation scheme.