Call to review Nenagh’s one-way traffic system
Pedestrian crossings at junctions ‘not safe’
Tipperary Co Council has been asked to review the one-way traffic system that was introduced in Nenagh last April.
The new system was initially welcomed by local representatives. But a number of misgivings were expressed at last week's meeting of the council's Nenagh Municipal District, at which Cllr Séamie Morris called for a review of the system.
He voiced concern over the proximity of the raised pedestrian crossings to the junctions at the Market Cross. He found that motorists on Pearse St have their attention drawn to traffic on Kenyon St and Silver St, and “all of a sudden you have people on top of you on the pedestrian crossings”.
While he regarded himself as a “careful driver”, Cllr Morris said he had nearly been involved in a collision with a pedestrian the previous week. He also observed that the one-way system is sending more traffic up Sarsfield St. The junction at the Clare St end of the street has now become ever busier than before.
Cllr Fiona Bonfield agreed, saying people have expressed concern to her about the volume of traffic now going up Sarsfield St.
Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh noted that tractors and heavy good vehicles have difficulty turning corners on the system and sometimes encroach into the opposite lane. This was pointed out to her by a garda at the Emmet Place junction with Kickham St, where she said an accident is likely to happen.
Cllr Morgan Walsh said another pedestrian crossing is needed at Centra in light of the increased traffic volumes at that location.
Cllr Ryan O'Meara said HGVs are using Sarsfield St even though there is a sign on Mitchel St indicating a 3.5t weight limit. Sarsfield St is dealing with an increased amount of traffic, though Ashe Road now seems comparatively quieter. Cllr O'Meara said he would welcome a new crossing at Centra for the number of older people and people with mobility issues crossing there.
District Engineer Barry Murphy said it was always intended that the first year of operation of the one-way system would be a “review phase”. A lot of time was spent on planning the locations of the crossings and he considered them to have the “optimum location”. Motorists are not easily able to speed on any of the streets. The addition of the crossing in the middle of Pearse St is a key component of the system.
‘YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION’
“You have to pay attention if you're in a car,” Mr Murphy said of the proximity of crossings to junctions. He also made the point that the removal of traffic lights from the Market Cross has greatly improved the flow of traffic through a hitherto congested part of the town.
Mr Murphy accepted that there is a lot more traffic using Sarsfield St, though there are no queues of traffic building up there. He said the council would look at installing a pedestrian crossing at Clare St.
Cllr Morris maintained that the pedestrian crossings at Market Cross are “not safe”. He suggested that a safety analysis should be carried out now that the system is up and running. “Sometimes we get things wrong - we should admit that,” Cllr Morris told the meeting.