Calls for lights on popular Limerick walkway amid ‘accident waiting to happen’

A NUMBER of councillors have called for lights to be installed on a popular walkway in County Limerick.

Fianna Fáil councillor Martin Ryan proposed a motion on the subject at the February meeting of the Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District.

Cllr Ryan called for Limerick City and County Council to progress the installation of lights for pedestrians along the new footpath in Pallasgreen on the N24.

The path runs from the village past St. Anthony’s Nursing Home to Mount Catherine Road.

He also asked that if Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) will not allow full street lighting, that pedestrian illumination posts would be considered.

READ NEXT: Tragic death of Limerick nurse has ‘cast a huge shadow over the community’

He described the footpath as a “great addition to Pallasgreen”, adding that lights on the path would “finish it off”.

The motion was seconded by Fine Gael councillor Noreen Stokes, who highlighted how popular the footpath is.

She told the meeting that she walks the footpath every morning at 6:30am and it’s pitch dark.

Cllr Stokes continued by saying that an “unbelievable amount of people” use the footpath, especially to walk to the nearby nursing home.

Meanwhile, independent councillor Eddie Ryan said it “didn’t seem fair” for TII to object to the lights. He said the footpath in its current state is an “accident waiting to happen”.

In a written response to the motion, Senior Executive Engineer Diarmuid Sheehy said that the council will explore alternative pedestrian lighting options.

It will then bring these options forward for discussion at its next scheduled meeting with TII. If TII agrees on an alternative solution, the council will seek a funding stream for the lights.