Council urged to make Laois corner safe
Calls to make Shelley's Corner safe
LAOIS Co Council must make the deadly dangerous Shelly’s Corner in Rosenallis safe.
At the latest meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory municipal district, Fianna Fáil councillor Seamus McDonald urged the council to resolve dangerous traffic issues at the corner.
In response, the area office said the location would be reviewed in line with the council’s traffic calming policy.
In his address, Cllr McDonald highlighted that he had previously put forward a submission last year and expressed the view that it was probably the most dangerous corner in the country. The road is frequented by lorry drivers and hauliers and the councillor expressed the view that it was unfair on the drivers of those trucks, who are more often than not trying to negotiate the manoeuvre of a 40-foot-long trailer, to be asked to continually handle that bend.
Another councillor who seconded the motion urged the area office to consider drawing down funding from the low-cost safety scheme.
Cllr Ollie Clooney weighed in to support the motion and said: "It is a very, very dangerous road. Driving a lorry is hard enough, but when you can't see, you're in danger, so I'd like to see something done with it, certainly. And, as Seamus said, it failed to go past the door last year. So, I know Johnny Logan said ‘whats another year?’ But time is up on this one."
Another councillor asked how much money a potential installation of traffic lights would cost the council and urged them to consider that as a potential measure, as it would both protect pedestrians and reduce the speed vehicles had to take at the sharp turn.
