Naas street to remain closed

THE closure of Abbey Street into Basin Street, Naas for vehicular traffic is still on councillors’ radar two months after the fact, with both cllrs Seamie Moore and Evie Sammon seeking alternative options for the location.

At the November meeting of Naas Municipal District, cllr Seamie Moore – who was opposed to the closure in the first place – proposed three options that the council could have looked at, from the demolition of the council-owned derelict corner buildings at the junction, the installation of a raised pedestrian footpath with a protective barrier, and the changing of Abbey Street traffic to a one-way vehicle traffic system.

Cllr Sammon also sought a new footpath at this location, and proposed using the Eir building as a distribution depot for HGVs needing to access the area.

Senior engineer Donal Hodgins fielded both replies.

“The public consultation process undertaken for the closure of the Basin Street/Abbey Street junction was in accordance with the provisions of Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1994,” he began.

“There is no alternative consultation process that is appropriate to use for a scheme of this cost and scale.

“The purpose of such consultation processes is to present an intervention that is being undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Act and to collect and respond to observations made.

“The proposed scheme was presented to the Municipal District elected members in advance of the consultation process for noting and also after the consultation process was completed.

“In addition, elected members could make observations themselves during the consultation process.

“The scheme was noted on both occasions that it was presented.

“This process is now complete and a decision has been made by the executive.

“The suggested interventions made in the motion, can be examined by the executive, however, the decision to close the junction has been made.

“It was taken on road safety grounds to reduce the risk of collisions between motorised vehicles and vulnerable road users using Abbey Street and Basin Street, especially at the junction between the two streets."

In his reply to cllr Moore, Mr Hodgins said: “In particular, the closure eliminates the danger to pedestrians of vehicles turning at the junction."

For Cllr Sammon’s request for a new footpath on Abbey Street, Mr Hodgins told her: “It is included in the Naas Canal Quarter Masterplan, which is currently in its public and stakeholder consultation phase.

“It would be premature to make changes along Abbey Street until a clear agreed vision is developed for the area.

“The installation of physical infrastructure at this stage would pre-empt the outcome of the consultation process.

“However, options to develop an improved public realm area along Abbey Street have been considered and Kildare County Council Sustainable Transport Section has provided schematic ideas as inputs into the consultation process for consideration."