Cllr. Bobby O’Connell believes that the school-time traffic crux at College Road can be solved by a greater presence of a traffic warden at crucial times; the demolition and moving back of the front wall of Gaelscoil Aogáin; the creation of a drop-off point for pupils and a strictly enforced no parking area at the school.
Sligo native, New York influenced, College Road resident, Michael Burke feels that flashing traffic lights, speed ramps and a ‘Zebra Crossing’ at the old library would do the trick.
The trick is to balance the movement of pedestrian and vehicular traffic on a 300 yard or so stretch of roadway which accommodates 530 students on a daily basis during school terms.
Real Flash Times
The morning time, for around 20 minutes, from 9am and lunchtimes are the real flash times as finishing times vary in the afternoons.
Add in the traffic to and from Crag Cave – one of Kerry’s and Ireland’s most visited tourist attractions and you begin to get the picture.
Once upon a time, and only a generation ago, College Road was a safe haven for children. Anyone who grew up there would testify to the amount of children from the area playing on the street in complete safety.
For a whole range of reasons and lifestyle changes, those days are long gone and our council officials will have to react for the health and safety of this and generations to come.
Neglecting Its Role
Mr. Burke is adamant that Kerry County Council is neglecting its role in the affair and it needs to upgrade the road surface and install the traffic calming features and safe crossing points at the same time.
Cllr. Maura Healy Rae recently asked Kerry County Council when they were going to provide the funding for a traffic warden for the three schools on College Road as this has been promised for a long time.
Cllr. Healy Rae said she was extremely disappointed with Kerry County Council’s reply which was: “There are no plans to provide additional traffic wardens in Castleisland although a commitment was made to the Killarney Municipal District members.
Traffic Warden Service
Potential funding options for an extended traffic warden service in Castleisland can be considered and presented at a future MD meeting but this will require a commitment, in principal initially, from the members for the introduction of paid parking.”
Cllr. Healy Rae said she questioned Kerry County Council on how they could go back on their word and their commitment to provide a traffic warden at the three schools on College Road.
She also highlighted that ratepayers in the town are struggling to keep businesses open, people are paying motor tax and property tax and that Kerry County Council are trying to turn the people’s hand to agree to paid parking to get a service which Kerry County Council already gave a commitment to give?
Paid Parking in Castleisland
She also stated that, under no circumstances would she vote at any meeting to introduce paid parking in Castleisland.
Management of Kerry County Council eventually agreed to examine the situation with a view to providing traffic wardens at the schools on College Road.
The notion of paid parking on Castleisland’s Main Street would surely only continue the downward spiral of business morale in the town.
There are businesses here making great sacrifices to keep their doors open against huge odds. The lack of ‘footfall’ in recent times is a constant refrain by members of the business community here. Many are holding on and hoping that the rays of the much vaunted recovery will shine on them soon before their grip loosens any further.
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