A van, instead of slowing down blew them off the road - Dolan

Cllr Gerry Dolan said that two elderly people were crossing the road "and a van, instead of slowing down, blew them off the road" when he called on the Ballinamore Municipal District to have “Slow Down” signs erected, to allow people crossing the road to the footpath from the houses at Acres, on the Drumshanbo side of the swimming pool, coming from Carrick.  
 
Cllr Dolan continued: "I think something needs to be done there as it is a dangerous place and people have to cross the road and the speed limit is ignored."
 
 
The official response said that the district will be installing a raised junction at the Corryard entrance which will force traffic to slow down. "We also have two driver feedback signs erected from Corryard to the swimming pool indicating to drivers that they are in excess of the legal limit. The remaining port of call is enforcement and issuing speeding tickets. This should be broached at the Joint Policing Committee."  

 
 
District engineer, Darragh O'Boyle said: "We'll be able to provide access onto the full footpath on the Drumshanbo side and that should be done in the next couple of weeks."
 
 
Mr O'Boyle continued that ultimately, it is an enforcement issue "because we have done a lot there to slow traffic down and if they don't have any manners, there should be punishment handed out."
 
 
Cllr Dolan said that it was "pointless" sending speed cameras to the location as they "are not two minutes there and everyone knows it."
 
 
Cllr Enda McGloin asked when works at the location were due to be completed and was advised by Mr O'Boyle that the council are "waiting on contractors and that's the pin pinch on all our programmes at the moment; trying to get contractors in."
 
 
Cllr Brendan Barry said that "people have gotten very aggressive in their driving habits" and "to be blowing people out of it crossing the road is unacceptable."
 
 
He noted that the number of deaths and serious injuries on the country's roads is increasing and "much of that is down to driver behaviour."
 
 
Cllr Enda McGloin said that it's "only when you are walking on the side of the road, you see the speed. When you are in a car, you sometimes maybe don't realise it yourself when driving; but when you are on the ground watching a car go by, you can see the speed that is being done."