Proposed road safety work at The Pigeons set to be unveiled

Westmeath County Council will host a non-statutory public information session regarding proposed road safety improvement scheme on the N55 at The Pigeons in Athlone Civic Centre on Thursday, August 27, from 4pm-7pm.

The local authority is inviting 'residents of the local area, members of the public and interested parties' to attend the event at which the proposed road improvements will be on display to the public.

Westmeath County Council said staff would be in attendance at the three-hour public session to answer any queries which may arise from the road safety proposals on display.

A non-statutory public information session is a voluntary community meeting held by a government body or project team sharing early plans, shaping designs and aiming to gather local feedback.

Welcoming the non-statutory public information event, Cllr Tom Farrell said the road safety issues on the "particular stretch of road" have been ongoing for numerous years.

"There are a number of sections on this half kilometre stretch of road at The Pigeons which are viewed locally as accident blackspots. Discussions have been ongoing with local residents for approximately three years and hopefully, this public session will help to start progress on road safety at the location," Cllr Farrell said.

The councillor said there are "two dangerous hills" and a "number of blind spots" on the road that need attention to ensure that no further crashes occur "on this stretch of the N55".

"This session is the start of the formal process for this project and I welcome the public's feedback which can be submitted on the day itself or sent to Westmeath County Council before the closing date early next month," the Fine Gael public representative added.

At the January Athlone-Moate Municipal District meeting, Cllr Farrell was told the preliminary designs for a number of road safety improvement options at the location were being prepared, after a meeting of the council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) engineers.

Westmeath County Council said it will welcome public feedback on the proposed road safety improvements until close of business on Friday, September 4, in writing to the Transportation Section, Westmeath County Council, Aras an Chontae, Mullingar, or by email to roads@westmeathcoco.ie.