Roads in this Kildare town 'are being choked' by 'unnecessary' traffic

The claim was made by a local representative

By Ciarán Mather Published 23rd Jun 2026, 17:00 BST Roads in this Kildare town 'are being choked' by 'unnecessary' traffic | FILE PHOTOGRAPH / PIXABAY The claim was made by a local representative Sign up to our Kildare Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kildare Live within your account.

A local councillor has claimed that roads in one County Kildare town 'are being choked' by ‘unnecessary’ traffic.

That’s according to Fine Gael Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer, who made the claim at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting, which took place on Wednesday, June 17 last.

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During the early stages of this meeting, she motioned for ‘Kildare County Council (KCC), in their meetings with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), to ask for an exit ramp off the M9 / M7 motorway before Kilcullen to be listed for assessment to service Newbridge directly’.

Her motion was seconded by her party colleague Cllr Peggy O’Dwyer.

Fine Gael Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer | PHOTO CREDIT: KILDARECOCO.IE In response to her motion, KCC said via the report it presented at the meeting: “Newbridge is directly served by two motorway interchanges along the M7; one to the east of Newbridge at Junction 10 on the M7 and one to the west of Newbridge at Junction 12 on the M7 providing options to access the town from either direction.”

KCC also explained: “Although there is an objective in the Kildare County Development Plan to undertake studies to investigate how vehicle movements could be improved, from the west to the south as well as from the south to the west at the M7 (Junction 11) 169 / M9 (Junction 1) Interchange.

“This location / junction is not listed in any of the current National Plans, for example, the National Development Plan, Project Ireland 2024 or in the recent National Development Plan Review 2025, in which listed projects are to be funded by 2030 (including projects at feasibility stage through to projects already at construction phase).

Furthermore, KCC noted that the feasibility study for the M9/M7 (Junction 11) was not listed for funding.

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Speaking further on her motion, Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer said that Kilcullen ‘is servicing ring road levels’ of traffic.

Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer also expressed her wish to see a feasibility study conducted in relation to the current traffic situation in Kilcullen.

“It needs to happen, as various roads in Kilcullen are being choked by unnecessary traffic,” she added.

She concluded by emphasising to KCC: “There needs to be an exit link from Kilcullen to Newbridge.”

Another councillor representing the Municipal District, Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender, voiced his support for her motion, as well as Fine Gael Cllr Kevin Duffy, who appeared at the meeting by virtual means.

Following these comments, a senior KCC official who was also present at the meeting, Mark McLoughlin, assured Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer that a meeting with TII regarding traffic matters within the Municipal District ‘is on the way’.

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Related topics: Kilcullen Newbridge Kildare Politics Transport Infrastructure Ireland Kildare County Council Sign up to our Kildare Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kildare Live within your account.