Wicklow Sinn Féin local election candidates in Wicklow East Abbie O’Loughlin, and Anthony Hill have been in contact with Wicklow County Council regarding the need to put in place traffic controls and a pedestrian crossing on the outskirts of Vartry Wood Estate in Ashford.
The road in question is the main road between Vartry Wood and Ashford, and the speed of cars travelling along this route represents a danger to pedestrians.
Speaking jointly the O’Loughlin and Hill said:
“Having been contacted by residents in the Vartry Wood Estate in Ashford regarding road safety issues in the area, which also impacts on the Willows, and the Hazels estates, caused by speeding traffic, we visited the area earlier this week to ascertain the full extent of the problem.
As Vartry Wood is a new development in the area, there has been a failure by planners to incorporate a traffic plan that would take into consideration the broader needs of public safety brought about by the numbers of additional pedestrians in the area.
We have subsequently contacted Wicklow County Council with concerns about the lack of a regulated approach to traffic management and road safety in the area. Particularly given the numbers of pedestrians who regularly have to cross the road at the entrance to the Estate.
Wicklow County Council needs to put in place road safety measures that take into account the growth of the area, and the number of pedestrians using and crossing the roads here. There is a real need for traffic calming measures, such as reducing the speed limit from 50 km/h to 30 km/h, and the erection of a pedestrian crossing at the entrance to Vartry Wood Estate.”