New Mardyke Street traffic system 'isn't working'
Westmeath County Council was accused of “holding the town to ransom” and operating as “a dictatorship” during a heated debate this week about the recently installed traffic lights at the St Mary's Square, Pump Lane and Mardyke Street junction in Athlone.
At the September meeting of the Athlone Moate Municipal District on Monday, Cllr Kevin 'Boxer' Moran – who made the dictatorship remarks - said he was only too aware of the “hassle and headaches” that motorists in Athlone have to deal with “day in and day out” as a result of the traffic problems which have beset the town since the new lights were installed.
He also claimed that local people are “opting to go to other towns to shop” rather than having to deal with the ongoing traffic woes in their own town.
“That light at Carey's pub has fecked up the whole town,” he declared, “and the public have no faith in us to sort it out either, we can't be holding the town to ransom and we can't be operating as a dictatorship on this issue.”
Cllr Aengus O'Rourke put forward a motion seeking to have a new trial pedestrian and traffic arrangement put into place at the Mardyke Street junction.
He suggested “putting a bag over the traffic lights”, installing a new zebra crossing from St Mary's Square carpark to the Athlone Crystal premises, and putting down “ a large yellow hatch box” to allow for the free movement of traffic in all directions.
“It's almost eight weeks since we debated this issue at length, and we agreed to give (council) management time to make Mardyke Street work, but it isn't working, and we haven't had anything like the volumes of traffic we are going to see for the rest of the year,” said Cllr O'Rourke, who added that the patience of the public with the new traffic lights “is exhausted at this stage”.
District Manager Willie Ryan outlined a raft of measures which have been taken by the council in recent weeks to try to improve traffic flows through the centre of Athlone, but said he would not be in favour of taking the traffic lights out of operation. “Switching off the lights will promote the free flow of traffic, but will not protect pedestrians,” he pointed out.
“This feels a bit like groundhog day,” replied Cllr O'Rourke. “I am sticking to my proposal that we turn off the lights, and I think the council should be doing all their tweaking behind the scenes rather than experimenting when the traffic is at a complete standstill across the town.”
In an effort to reach a compromise, the Municipal District Mayor, Cllr Frankie Keena, proposed that a meeting be arranged in the next two weeks with the consultants, contractors and design team responsible for the new traffic lights, and if no progress was made then Cllr O'Rourke's proposal to switch off the lights should be implemented.
Cllr Johnny Penrose wanted to know if the councillors would be held responsible if the switching off of the traffic lights resulted in an accident. “I have no doubt that Aengus's remarks are borne out of frustration,” said Director of Services Willie Ryan, “but if we are moving away from the advice of the professional design team we are leaving ourselves open to risk.”
“That is just scaremongering,” responded Cllr O'Rourke, who said he was “sick to the back teeth” of going up to Mardyke Street to observe the new traffic lights. “I am going through this junction every day, or not going through it, and if we have a meeting in the next two weeks with the consultants it could be Christmas week before any solution is found.”
With two proposals before the meeting, Cllr O'Rourke agreed to accede to the one put forward by Cllr Keena, that councillors meet with the consultants, contractors and design team.
“It goes very much against my better judgement to accede,” he clarified. “I am still fuming about that junction and I could show you any number of emails, text messages, and private messages from people who are complaining to me every day of the week about the traffic situation in this town.”
Cllr O'Rourke said if nothing concrete emerged from the upcoming meeting – which is to be held 'in committee' (i.e. behind closed doors) - he would be looking for “full support” for his proposal that the lights be turned off.