Anger over lack of progress on traffic safety scheme in County Roscommon Town

Several councillors have expressed their disappointment over the lack of progress on advancing a new traffic safety scheme for Castlerea.

Roscommon Municipal District councillors had previously called for major changes to a new traffic safety scheme for the town but Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) confirmed again in recent correspondence that it couldn’t approve the changes proposed.

In 2024, Roscommon Municipal District councillors refused to approve a Part 8 traffic safety scheme primarily because of fears over the loss of on-street parking. In the same year, TII ruled out revised proposals by councillors because they differed “substantially in terms of design and safety benefit” to the original scheme.

In correspondence from TII read out at last week’s meeting of the MD, the state agency reiterated that it did not approve a redesigned safety scheme proposed by councillors because “it differed substantially in terms of design, scope and safety benefit, compared to the scheme originally devised by the council in consultation with the TIl Safety Section”.

The correspondence also noted that in order for the TII to approve a new scheme, a revised feasibility and options report must be submitted “where significant scope changes have occurred”.

“The scheme must demonstrate safety benefit using the prescribed method set out in the TII standard.

“To date TII has not received a new proposal,” it said.

At a recent MD meeting, Fianna Fáil councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice said he was disappointed with TII’s reply, and believed that part of the original safety scheme, namely pedestrian crossings, could have gone ahead.

Independent Ireland councillor Nigel Dineen also criticised the TII correspondence. “This is a national route. I can’t understand why they are not working with us. It is all or nothing with them and we have tried to meet them half-way. Do we have to go back to the drawing board?” he asked.

Cllr Fitzmaurice proposed that elected members write to the TII asking them to accept the design for the pedestrian crossing points, “and proceed with that”.

However, MD co-ordinator Tom McDermott noted that the TII stated in its correspondence that for any new proposed scheme, a revised feasibility and options report must first be submitted.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.