Portmarnock traffic plan is the cause for much debate

By John Maning

A NEW €20,000 traffic management scheme for Portmarnock is in the early stages of design and was debated by councillors at the latest meeting of the Malahide/Howth Area Committee.

A traffic management scheme for the Carrickhill Road and Carrickhill Rise area has been proposed with a budget of €20,000

Fingal County Council’s Transportation Department presented three broad options for the scheme to the latest meeting of the Malahide/Howth Area Committee

Option one provided for a combination of flat top ramps and speed cushions on Wendell Avenue and Redfern Avenue

Option two provided a limited number of flat-top ramps for the lower end of Carrickhill Rise, while option three was a combination of both option one and two.

Cllr Alan Farrell (FG) argued that Redfern Avenue and Wendell Avenue could be dealt with at a future date as traffic was ‘naturally slow’ in the area.

The priority should be Carrickhill Road and Carrickhill Rise, according to Cllr Farrell, who advocated moving some of the speed ramps from Redfern and Wendell Avenues in favour of ‘sorting out Carrickhill’.

Cllr Darragh O’Brien (FF) said his main concern was the safety of students attending Portmarnock Community School.

‘I honestly think we need something in the vicinity of the school. I know there maybe objections to it but we need to address that safety issue outside the school,’ Cllr O’Brien said.

Council traffic engineers told Cllr O’Brien that they could discuss a table-top speed ramp at the school but the bend made it dangerous to install the smaller speed-bumps.

The council’s Transportation Department favoured pedestrian lights at the school, rather than traffic calming to deal with the safety issue highlighted by Cllr O’Brien.

Cllr Peter Coyle (Lab) suggested that the installation of a speed-reader on the open space near the school, north of Blackberry Rise and south of Ardilaun, could help address the problem.

Cllr Coyle ultimately agreed with Cllrs O’Brien and Farrell that Wendell and Redfern Avenues be dealt with outside the scheme and that the entire €20,000 budget be spent in the Carrickhill Road and Carrickhill Rise areas.

The plan is still in its early stage of design and when the councillors suggestions are taken on board, an amended scheme will return to the Malahide/Howth Area Committee for approval.

Fingal Independent October 21/2005