Minister for Transport gives updates on safety scheme for N80 at Leagh Bends

Minister for Transport has provided updates on the new safety scheme for the N80 at the Leagh Bends in Carlow.

This comes after a fatal collision occurred on the road earlier in the year.

The Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: 

"It should be noted that the Leagh Bends section of the N80 was not classified as a High Collision Location in the most recent round of analysis between 2020 and 2022, however, a marked increase in collisions was recorded in 2023, in addition to the recent tragic incident at the end of January of this year."

" am pleased to advise the Deputy that a safety scheme for the N80 at Leagh Bends is currently being developed by Carlow County Council in partnership with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. This will lead to the re-alignment of approximately 3km of the N80, removing a number of dangerous bends at that location. The project is currently nearing the end of the Design and Environmental Evaluation phase. It is anticipated that Carlow County Council will submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála in Quarter 2 of this year."

"In 2024, TII's Protection and Renewal Programme for National Roads was allocated approximately €11 million in additional funding to support safety interventions such as this. These are an integral and essential part of TII's ongoing Protection and Renewal work on our National Roads."