Donegal County Council has been urged to implement more traffic calming measures on the Leck Road in Letterkenny to protect families visiting the local graveyard and a busy creche.
Something needs to be done on the Leck Road urgently, warned Cllr Donal Coyle, who brought the concerns of the local Model Creche service manager to the council last week.
Cllr Coyle pointed out that there are 141 children attending the busy creche, with a large number of cars and buses collecting and dropping off daily.
“Something needs to be seriously done,” Cllr Coyle told the January meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford MD.
Cllr Coyle acknowledged that this section of road is unsuitable for ramps and called on the council to consider road narrowing or the installation of a traffic island.
Mayor of Letterkenny Gerry McMcMonagle added that the area should get a traffic island to protect drivers turning into local businesses.
“People are turning right into the creche but there are cars coming behind them too fast and they are being rear ended,” Cllr McMonagle said.
“Most children are in baby seats strapped in the back seats of the car. When most collisions are rear end it’s the children that are going to get hurt,” he warned.
A spokesperson for the Letterkenny Roads Section said that there is no funding available for traffic calming
measures at the locations.
Councillors were told that the introduction of road narrowing measures may be feasible at the creche, but this requires further assessment. Traffic calming will require lighting, with cost implications to consider.
Councillors were also told that options for traffic calming measures at the graveyard entrance are limited due to the gradient, sightlines and horizontal alignment.
