Carrickobrien residents ‘up in arms’ over road conditions and traffic issues

by Kevin O'Neill

Prominent Carrickobrien resident, and recent local election candidate, Tom Cleary has said people from the area are now “up in arms” about what they perceive to be “ongoing and unresolved issues” relating to the Carrickobrien Road in Athlone.

Not only that, but he claims the recent installation, by the local council, of flower beds adjoining the footpath at the T-junction leading in and out of the start of the Carrickobrien road (close to the Aldi supermarket) has only served to worsen the traffic problem in the area.

Mr Cleary, speaking on behalf of concerned local residents, said the need for the installation of new traffic lights at this junction is of paramount importance to the safety of the Athlone public, whether they are pedestrians, nearby residents, cyclists, or motorists.

“The people living in Carrickobrien take great pride in the area. But they are up in arms about all this," he said.

“It is very frustrating because we have been told countless times that repair works will be addressed, and that simply hasn't been the case. If anything, the addition of the flower beds has made matters worse and local representatives need a wake-up call on this.

“It needs addressing and has done for some time,” added Tom, who said residents have even considered a public protest to highlight current road traffic issues in the area.

Forming a large part of local residents' concerns is the current condition of the Carrickobrien Road in general, with Mr Cleary saying it has been significantly damaged in recent months by trucks carrying materials for the construction of a new seven-kilometre recreational cycleway and walkway to Ballinahown, which will ultimately form part of a cycleway link between Athlone and Clonmacnoise.

The cycleway and walkway between Carrickobrien and Ballinahown is due for completion in August. The cycleway project is being developed on Bord na Móna lands and the company, now officially named BnM, is due to carry out a restoration of the road surface in Carrickobrien.

However Tom said the road remains unsafe at certain points because motorists are having to swerve to avoid the most damaged parts of the surface.

Local residents have held “good discussions” with a BnM official, said Mr Cleary, “but still nothing is being done to help us”.

Previously, a spokesperson for BnM told the Westmeath Independent that the company is engaging with residents and Westmeath County Council regarding the Carrickobrien roads, and that, in line with planning conditions, BnM is carrying out road condition surveys pre- and post-construction, and will conduct any repairs identified and agreed with Westmeath County Council.

Tom acknowledged that a full resurfacing of the road cannot happen until after the cycleway project is completed, but stressed that "een short-term, small repairs” would go a long way to helping road traffic safety in the locality.

He called for the local council to take control of the current situation and, for a start, to remove the recently-installed flower beds near the entrance to Aldi.

“That junction has become very dangerous,” said Tom, who noted the level of traffic congestion in the area, particularly during peak times such as morning, lunch-time and evenings, had further increased since the flower beds were put in place towards the end of last year.

“Most people saw work getting done there and assumed it would be traffic lights. But no, still nothing in that regard. The flower beds need taking out and proper traffic lights installed.

"Since the flower beds were put there, I have seen motorists coming out of that junction and having to veer across the middle of the road, given how tight an area it is for vehicles.

“The flower beds prove to me that there's no interest in keeping traffic flowing freely in Athlone. It's now a very dangerous junction, for motorists and pedestrians, and needs sorting straight away,” he added.

Tom finished by saying that the Carrickobrien road was always looked after reasonably well, before work on the cycleway/walkway began, and that local residents just want to be “helped out a bit” in relation to maintaining the area.

“We have brilliant people living here, some of whom are out every day clearing up litter or anything like that. We have a lovely, unspoiled area but there's only so much people can do on their own, and we need a little bit of help,” he said.