Safety works to be carried out on controversial Kildare cycle path
The cycle path on the R448 between Moone and Timolin Photo: Aisling Hyland
IT has been indicated the works to address issues on the Moone-Timolin road will be carried out next month.
Senior executive officer of transport, mobility and open spaces in KCC Mark McLoughlin signified that this would be the timeframe at the most recent meeting of Athy Municipal District on Monday (16 February).
Mr McLoughlin also indicated that cones will be implemented in the meantime as an interim measure.
This came after Cllr Aoife Breslin brought the controversial road up at the meeting. She described the pilot scheme that saw the road updated with a cycle track as “a pilot scheme that has no pilot” and told the executive of Kildare County Council (KCC) that she wants a letter written to TII and a meeting with TII in the next 10 days.
A safety audit for the controversial cycle path on the Moone-Timolin road was released recently and showed a litany of design issues.
Motorists have noted unsafe road conditions and cyclists have refused to use the cycle lanes.
Cllrs Mark Leigh, Vera Louise Behan and Brian Dooley, as well as cathaoirleach Ivan Keatley, all supported Cllr Breslin at the meeting.
Cllr Dooley said that TII are looking to “protect their own skin” and suspected that they would not show up for a meeting.
Cllr Keatley thanked members of Moone Timolin Positive Action Group present at the meeting and said that “what has got lost in all of this is the voice of the community”.
Cathoirleach Keatley expressed his view that one of the main issues is that the designers of the scheme are used to designing schemes in towns rather than rural areas.
He noted that the Athy-Baltinglass junction is particularly dangerous.
Cllr Leigh said that he wanted the meeting with TII to take place before any of the recommendations from the safety audit are implemented. Cllr Keatley disagreed, being of the view that change is needed as soon as possible.
Cllr Dooley spoke again to say that all elected members have “lost complete confidence in TII”.
