Concerns that traffic light sequencing in one Kildare region is not fit for purpose

The sequencing of traffic lights in one County Kildare region is unsuitable and is negatively impacting people living with disabilities.

The claims were made by Social Democrats councillor Chris Pender at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) meeting, which took place on Wednesday, February 18 last.

His concerns was initially raised when he submitted a motion at the meeting, in which he called for Kildare County Council (KCC) to "review traffic signal timings and sequencing at St Conleth’s Bridge and other signalised junctions across the MD district".

According to Cllr Pender, he specifically wanted KCC to:

• "Assess pedestrian crossing times and phasing to ensure safe and adequate crossing for all users"
• "Examine vehicle timings, peak performance, queue lengths, congestion, and traffic flow impacts"
• "Provide councillors with current timing plans and the underlying traffic and pedestrian data, including raw source data where available"

His motion was seconded by Fine Gael Cllr Peggy O'Dwyer.

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Responding to Cllr Pender's motion, KCC said via the report it presented at the meeting: "Each set of signal controlled pedestrian crossings and signal controlled junctions across Kildare have built in safety timings programmed into the traffic controller.

"The safety timings are based on certain parameters including pedestrian crossing distance, distance between stop lines, junction clearance times etc.

"Each pedestrian crossing / junction is assessed using industry standards and technical guidance documents."

KCC continued by explaining: "The traffic signals in Newbridge are controlled by an Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system called SCOOT (Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique).

"The town is divided into various SCOOT Regions where the SCOOT model co-ordinates and controls the junctions within the region to maximise efficiency and reduce journey times etc.

KCC concluded: "The SCOOT model receives data from SCOOT nodes or detectors placed at locations with the SCOOT network; the nodes send data packets to UTC / SCOOT system a cloud based server which then models the data and modifies the junction timing accordingly in real time."

However, Cllr Pender was dissatisfied with this report — he told KCC: "I'm not seeing the data I was looking for.

"I have had people with disabilities telling me that they do not have enough time to cross the road, due to the current lighting system."

Cllr Pender added: "The system is not working on the ground."

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FRUSTRATION

He also claimed that the he has brought the matter to KCC's attention before: "I was told that it would be looked at, but clearly it wasn't".

"I am annoyed that I haven't gotten the data I was looking for", and alleged that KCC provided him with "the same response last year," he added. "We cannot let this motion amount to nothing."

Independent Cllr Tom McDonnell also gave his view traffic in the region.

He told KCC: "You could nearly take a flight to London by the time you get through it!"

Furthermore, Cllr O'Dwyer informed KCC that Newbridge Access Group had raised the matter before.

"There are lots of schools in this area, which in one sense is great, but on another, it is a pinchpoint," she said. "I support this motion, but I don't know how we are going to resolve this issue."

The Mayor of the MD, Fianna Fáil Cllr Noel Heavey, then entered into the discussion, and remarked that the area "is probably one of the most difficult junctions in all of Leinster".

"I have been informed that various measures have been tried [in this region]," he added.

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'A RAY OF LIGHT'

However, one representative of KCC who was present at the meeting offered the following assurances to the MD's councillors: "I have a ray of light here... There is an intention to convert the area from a pelican crossing into a standard signalised crossing." 

They also said: "This would be part of the Safe Routes to School scheme, subject to funding from the National Transport Authority."

The rep further said that they were "confident" in the proposed changes and urged councillors to "watch this space".

After they were finished speaking, Cllr Pender told KCC that he wanted data sets from the SCOOT system.

He also urged KCC to investigate the traffic lights sequencing near Newbridge Silverware, KARE and the Platinum Clubhouse — Cllr Pender emphasised: "I'm not looking for new lights here, I just want the lighting [sequencing] to be changed."

Cllr Pender concluded by reiterating his call for KCC to provide him with the data sets he was originally looking for.

In response, the KCC rep assured him that they would look for the data sets for him. 

Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender. File photograph

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Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.