Call for enhanced slip roads signage amid safety concerns

CORK county councillors are seeking enhanced signage and warning measures for motorway slip roads in a bid to prevent further fatalities on Cork roads.

Owing to the number of fatalities on Irish roads over the past number of months, councillor William O’Leary submitted a motion at a recent County Council meeting for additional measures on slip roads to prevent motorists from entering a motorway in the wrong direction.

Mr O’Leary asked that the council engage with the appropriate public bodies requesting that enhanced signage and warning measures be installed.

The motion received support from county councillors, many of whom said they had witnessed similar incidents on slip roads.

Speaking at the meeting, he said that his rationale for submitting the motion was based on the number of deaths on motorways over the last number of months.

“I fully understand that at our motorway junctions, there are measures already in place. In my view, it doesn’t go far enough,” he said.

Mr O’Leary said he believes that the issue is something that needs to be looked at on a national level.

He added that greater signage could particularly be of benefit to older drivers.

Councillor Deirdre O’Brien seconded the motion and said they all know of “some terrible tragedies” that have occurred over time.

“There’s three actually that off the top of my head, are close to my own area,” she said.

Councillor Frank O’Flynn said that the issue is getting more prevalent and suggested the use of a flashing light or ‘x’ similar to that used for the Jack Lynch Tunnel to grab the attention of motorists.

As she lives close to the M8, councillor Sheila O’Callaghan said she has seen a number of such incidents occurring, while councillor Noel McCarthy said he personally witnessed a driver take the wrong exit off a roundabout.

“It is a concern and it’s not just the elderly people, you could be confused, you could just be thinking of something else, and you end up doing the wrong thing,” he said.

Director of services, roads, and transportation at Cork County Council, Padraig Barrett, said that they will bring the matter to the attention of Transport Infrastructure Ireland and ask them to see if further measures can be added to enhance road safety.