Cyclists not motorists to blame for issue at Greenway junction, says Limerick councillor

FINE Gael councillor Tom Ruddle has urged Limerick Council to consider putting ramps on raised platforms before the crossing...

FINE Gael councillor Tom Ruddle has urged Limerick Council to consider putting ramps on raised platforms before the crossing at the railways gates on the Old Mill Road in Newcastle West.

According to Cllr Ruddle, people crossing at this point on bikes and on foot from the Greenway are in danger of vehicles travelling at speed and not slowing down. The Newcastle West man believes raised platform might see motorists reducing their speed in this area of road.

“Otherwise there’s going to be someone killed there,” Cllr Ruddle warned.

However, Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins suggested that while usually it is the vehicles they are blaming for speeding, in this case it the cyclists that were at fault.

“They’re cycling straight through into the cars, so that’s the root of the situation,” he told the recent area meeting.

The Council said that its roads team will survey this location and assess the requirement of speed ramps under the local authority’s traffic calming policy guidelines.

Cllr Collins took the view that if they were to look at speed ramps at this area of the Greenway, they would have to look at all the other access points and junctions along the route also. He was informed that an audit was carried out on all the junctions along the Greenway at the time of the project.

“This indicated that staggered gated and signage would make sure people stop, ensure it’s safe to cross, and cross,” the Council explained.