Anger in County Roscommon village over lack of pedestrian crossing

There is “a huge amount of anger” in Tulsk over the lack of a pedestrian crossing to allow local people cross a main national route safely.

Speaking at a Boyle Municipal District meeting, Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Seán Moylan described the situation in Tulsk as “incredibly dangerous and difficult” given that the completion of the new N5 was at least three years away.

Cllr Moylan claimed that 88 households were “marooned” on the northern side of the National N5 route, where many schoolchildren must negotiate crossing a national road without any assistance to get to and from school.

He said this was also the case with many elderly people in these same houses trying to cross this very busy road to get to church.

While he welcomed the new speed limit flashing signs, he called on the council, in conjunction with the RSA, the TII and other State Agencies, to install a pedestrian crossing controlled by lights.

The councillor believes this needs to be done on a raised plateau on the eastern transition route out of the village, in or around the Chestnut Grove housing estate, which would serve all 88 houses.

Cllr Moylan said this would also have a traffic calming effect on a road where there had been many accidents, several of which occurred at school pick up and drop off times.

“I hope this will be done on my watch as a councillor. I know it’s going to take a few years but I hope nothing happens in the meantime,” he said.

Along with Strokestown and Ballinagare, he said Tulsk remained without any safe proper crossing facility on an extremely busy national route.

Assistant Director of Services, Greg O’Donnell, said that in principle, there was no argument against putting in a pedestrian crossing. He said the matter would be referred to the roads section, and a study would have to be done, which would include identifying a suitable location.

Mr O’Donnell committed that the proposal would be put on the list of proposed low cost safety schemes for 2025, and a case would then have to be made to the TII to secure the funding.

Cllr Liam Callaghan (FG) suggested that installing a footpath on a grassy area on the left coming out of that housing estate could be included in the proposal.

Cllr Micheál Frain (IND) said any money spent when it came to providing safety around schools and for the local community was money well spent.