Call for 'beyond urgent' Charleville relief road

CALLS for urgent traffic calming measures and a relief road in a busy Cork town have been ramped up following the deaths of two people in less than three weeks after fatal road traffic collisions involving HGVs.

Margaret Lyons, aged 72, died on Monday afternoon, following a road traffic collision involving a lorry in Main St, Charleville, while Patrick (Pat) Galvin died on Friday, April 28, after a collision involving a lorry also on Main St, Charleville.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ian Doyle highlighted that there are 15,000 vehicles passing through the main street in Charleville daily.

He said the pedestrian crossings in the town need to be upgraded with proper lighting.

“The issue is with the heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) for these accidents. It is a safety issue. 15,000 vehicles are going through the town on a daily basis. We have five pedestrian crossings on the N20 between the southside and northside in Charleville on that straight line.

“They need to be upgraded with proper lighting and they also need tabletop ramps to control the speed and lining. That would slow down the traffic, but it is not going to alleviate it,” he said.

Mr Doyle said a relief road for Charleville would help to alleviate the traffic on the main street. 

“The other major issue is in terms of HGVs and getting them out of the town. In the current County Development Plan and the previous plan, there is a provision for a relief road for Charleville from the southern side. If that was done it would alleviate the traffic on the main street.

“The N/M20 took over and that was put on hold. We are not going to see a N/M20 for the next 15 years at best The locals want the road done and the relief work activated.

“Charleville is a retail centre in North Cork. There are a lot of concerns in the locality. The two recent deaths are devastating. We want action sooner rather than later.”

Mr Doyle said he will also seek an urgent meeting with Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers over funding for a relief road.

Fianna Fáil councillor Bernard Moynihan echoed his colleague’s sentiments regarding traffic calming. “There must be serious traffic calming measures put in immediately and the Charleville bypass should be progressed with immediate effect. It is beyond urgent.”