A PEDESTRIAN will be injured or worse in just a matter of time if a safety rail is not installed close to Letterkenny University Hospital.
Lorries and cars have mounted footpaths between Oatfield Terrace and Muckish Avenue so many times, leaving the pavements broken and cracked.
Councillor Gerry McMonagle said parents walking their children and dogs have been left frightened by incidents of near-misses in the area, close to the hospital entrance.
Accidents
He told the latest meeting of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District that something must be done urgently before a fatality happens. He asked that a safety railing be put in place along the footpath between Oatfield Terrace and Muckish Avenue to give protection to residents using the footpath along the busy stretch of the Circular Road.
“There have been lots of accidents and near misses. It’s only a matter of time before a car or lorry mounts a footpath injuring someone or worse.”
His calls were backed by Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh, who agreed that the particular section in question was “dangerous”.
“There’s a huge volume of traffic in that area and it could do with a safety rail.”
Cllr Kavanagh said vehicles have mounted the footpath in the area and said it was a “miracle” no-one was killed.
In response, Donegal County Council said Circular Road is one of the locations under consideration as part of the NTA Active Travel funding for developing Active Travel Schemes in Letterkenny Town.
“The Active Travel team in Road Design will be requested to consider this issue as part of this process.”
Cllr McMonagle said he was frustrated bringing motions to the table only to have them referred to Active Travel and hear nothing more about them.
“We need to bite the bullet. A railing on this stretch 45 metres in length would be a good measure. We are encouraging people to walk rather than drive, so maybe council could price what it would cost for a railing and see if it can be done?”
Executive Engineer, David McIlwaine said the council would look at the situation once again and try to find a local solution.
“Active Travel is down the line, it has been approved,” he said.
Responding, Cllr McMonagle said he appreciated the efforts, but added he had very grave concerns an accident or fatality will happen.
“There are a lot of accidents in that area. They don’t get the hedlines and often they may not even be reported, but they happen and something has to be done.”
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