Safety concerns emerge as roadside material 'keeps blowing down' on busy Limerick road

A SECTION of one of the busiest roads in County Limerick has been described as “an accident waiting to happen” amid mounting concerns over driver safety.

The concerns relate to a stretch of the main N21 at Kilconlea, Abbeyfeale, where black screening material attached to roadside fencing has repeatedly fallen, according to one councillor.

In highlighting the issue, Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin warned that light hitting the exposed road surface could create glare, potentially putting motorists at increased risk of collisions.

In a motion tabled at the March meeting of the Newcastle West Municipal District, the former Mayor of Limerick called on the local authority to replace or repair the fencing with a different material, saying it “keeps blowing down.”

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Cllr Galvin explained that motorists travelling from the Fealesbridge side face the increased hazard of “lights shining up on traffic,” while those commuting to Limerick from Castleisland have the lights “shining down.”

He added that amid the ongoing issue, the road is “an accident waiting to happen,” and he claimed his concerns are “falling on deaf ears.”

While noting that the road is under the remit of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), he urged the local authority to take action to improve safety “before something goes seriously wrong."

In a written reply, Ben Noonan, Executive Engineer for the district, said remedial action will be taken. "The material on the fence at this location will be removed and a more suitable one will be put in place," he said.