N13 'safety bollards' near Drumkeen deemed 'traffic hazard’

An Bord Pleanála has ordered the removal of 31 ‘safety bollards’ from the side of the N13 road near Drumkeen after deeming them to be a ‘traffic hazard’.

The planning authority made its ruling following appeals against a decision of Donegal County Council to grant conditional planning permission for the retention of the bollards.

Applicant John Guthrie had sought permission for the retention of 31 ‘safety bollards’ at Callan, Drumkeen.

Submissions against the development were lodged by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and by local resident Brendan Boyle.

Mr Boyle said he has been living in the area for 35 years ‘and never had any problems leaving or entering our house until those bollards were put up’.

“I’ve been driving a school bus coach for the past 21 years and it has changed the way I have to enter my home,” Mr Boyle wrote in his objection.

“Now because of this I have to block two carriageways on a busy N13 road to get the bus into my yard. It is confusing for traffic and anyone who tries to enter my house.”

Mr Boyle pointed out that a family member recently had an accident at the location.

TII contested that the bollards ‘would create an adverse impact on the national road’ and said the subject development does not conform to appropriate standards for national roads.

The development, therefore, argued TII ‘has the potential to impact road user safety for all road users on this high speed national road where a 100kph speed limit pertains’.

TII said the proposed development would ‘endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard’.

An Bord Pleanála agreed that the retention of the bollards would constitute a roadside hazard.

“It is not considered that the application contains appropriate proposals to justify or mitigate this hazard,” the planning authority said in its decision.

“The development proposed to be retained which is located alongside the heavily-trafficked National Primary Road N13 at a point where a speed limit of 100 km/h applies would therefore endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard and would interfere with the safety and free flow of traffic.”