Councillors demand action on 'hazardous' road in St Johnston

Councillors of the Lifford and Stranorlar district are demanding action on a hazardous stretch of road in St Johnston after a fatal collision last month.

Young Derry men Daniel Cullen and Caoimhin Porter-McLoone were both killed after the car they were travelling in collided with a lorry on the R236 road on Tuesday, February 24. 

A meeting of the Lifford-Stranorlar MD today heard calls for the dangers on the road to be addressed.

Councillor Gary Doherty will next month raise a motion seeking immediate steps to introduce further traffic calming measures on the R236 through St Johnston village.

Cllr Doherty today asked the council to confirm if speed ramps on the Lifford side of St Johnston have proven effective and queried why they were installed on only one side of the village.

Following last week's tragic collision, Cllr Doherty said: “Rightly, locals and other motorists who drive through on a regular basis are all asking the same questions: how many more times will there be collisions at that point of the road before we do something that will finally solve the road safety hazard there?”

Councillor Frank McBrearty said the scene of the collision is one of the most dangerous stretches of road and called for road design to develop a concept for the area where there is little room for vehicles to meet.

He called for action from road design across other areas of the district, including Smiley's Brae in Convoy, the lack of a footpath between Beechwood Avenue and the Royal and Prior School in Raphoe, as well as Town Parks.

“When is the next fatality going to happen? That is the ticking time bomb here today,” Cllr McBrearty said.

Donegal County Council's Area Engineer, Claire McGeever, said the St Johnston road safety discussion is a sensitive issue and that it would not be appropriate to comment at this point in time.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved,” Ms McGeever said.

In the aftermath of the collision last week, a petition was launched locally calling for ramps on the St Johnston road. It has been signed by more than 500 people in the last week.

READ NEXT: Petition calls for safety measures on ‘blackspot’ St Johnston road after fatal crash

Organiser Donna-Marie Reynolds says that implementing additional safety measures would “undoubtedly save lives and prevent further heartache for families and the community. We urge Donegal County Council and relevant authorities to prioritise the safety of all road users by taking immediate action.

“The cost of prevention is far less than the cost of a life, making these changes not just practical but essential.”