No improvements to controversial Kildare cycle path until consultant's report
Work on the cycle path between Moone and Timolin during the summer Photo: Aisling Hyland
IT is becoming clear that any measures to improve safety on the controversial Moone Timolin cycleway project will only come after a report from an independent consultant is received. The report will have to be reviewed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the scheme designers before any measures are implemented.
At the most recent meeting of Athy Municipal District on 19 January, Cllr Veralouise Behan asked if the council could “provide a progress report on the Moone to Timolin Cycleway Pilot Project with specific regard to lighting and reflecting all kerbs and islands”.
A report issued by Darragh Conlon, acting senior engineer in the projects team at Kildare County Council, stated that “construction works on the scheme are substantially complete at the present time”.
The report further detailed: “The road safety audit took place on 5 December, and the report is awaited from the independent consultant. This report will be reviewed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the scheme designers and any remedial measures identified will be implemented. Any requirement for lighting or improved visibility measures for kerbs and islands will be determined by this process, however as previously advised, the provision of lighting is outside the scope of the project.”
Mr Conlan’s report added that once the road safety audit report is available it will be circulated to the councillors.
The controversial cycleway was a matter of concern once again amongst the councillors, with clrs Mark Leigh and Aoife Breslin having questions on the agenda of a similar nature to cllr Behan. Cllr Leigh asked the council to outline what actions are intended to improve safety and cllr Breslin looked for a more general update on the project.
They were given very similar answers to cllr Behan, with reports issued by Conlan repeating the key points that construction works are substantially complete, that the report from the independent consultant is awaited, and that the report will be reviewed by TII and the scheme designers and any remedial measures identified will be implemented.
There has been a lot of frustration locally towards the project, with dozens of incidents reported, with the works having only begun in the summer of the same year.
