Call to halt all works on Fenagh junction

A proposed Active travel scheme to re-design the junction in Fenagh to allow more children to walk and cycle to school has been condemned by the local councillor Caillian Ellis.

At Monday's Ballinamore Municipal District meeting the Fianna Fáil councillor called on the local authority “not to carry out any works at the junction in Fenagh.”
Cllr Ellis said that when the re-design was marked out on the road recently it revealed that buses, trucks and lorries would not be able to make the turn and stay in their own lane. He commented “it doesn't make any sense - why fix something that isn't broken?”

He continued: “this plan was done up on a computer with someone making the turn with a mouse on the screen - they have never driven a HGV, nor would they know how to.” He said the junction will be made narrower due to wider footpaths. He asked the council to “forget it and leave it as it is.”
Cllr Brendan Barry supported the motion and said traffic already slows down in the village due to the hill and two tight corners.
Leitrim County Council said the proposed works which have been funded and approved planning permission were designed to ensure children walk safely to Fenagh NS.

They informed members that the planned modifications to this junction are designed in line with all current standards and vehicle auto tracking has been carried out at this junction.
Council engineer Darragh O'Boyle said the current design can be adjusted but the objectives to improve pedestrian safety must be achieved.
Mr O'Boyle said he has received concerns from parents, bus drivers and lorry drivers about the proposed re-design.
Mr O'Boyle said the new design did receive planning permission with no concerns expressed by the public.
He concluded saying the money will be spent on “some re-design.”

Cllr Ellis suggested a pedestrian crossing, but was told the area might be “too tight.”
Cllr Enda McGloin surmised that while “on paper it looks one way, practically it is different.”
This junction will probably be the subject of many more debates, echoing the previous controversy over the redesign of Edentinny junction a few years ago.