Laois village is 'dying on its feet'

A LAOIS village is “dying on its feet” due to dangerous speeding, which has forced some parents to send their children to schools elsewhere.

Cllr Aisling Moran made the claim at a council meeting, as she appealed for urgent safety measures to tackle notorious speeding in Arles.

“Are we waiting until someone is killed? We have to do something, because the village is dying on its feet at the moment,” she told the May monthly meeting of Graiguecullen-Portarlington Municipal District.

Cllr Moran said that trucks roar through Arles at 80kph or 90kph on the main N80 road, which children have to cross to get to the GAA pitch. She said that, because it is so dangerous, people are moving their children to other schools such as Killeen NS instead.

Cllr Ben Brennan agreed, noting that residents have to walk along the main road with children and babies in buggies, while heavy traffic sweeps past. He said: “A child could go in under the wheels of a lorry there.” 

Cllr Moran called for “substantial traffic calming measures on both sides of Arles village” to be installed by Laois County Council, in conjunction with TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland), with pedestrian crossings at both the school and the GAA club and a school safety zone at Arles NS.

The Independent councillor said that a traffic island, ramps or road narrowing should also be introduced on both approaches to the village, as motorists are ignoring the 50kph speed limit and the speed radar signs.

In a written response, the council’s road design section pointed out that traffic counts and speed surveys were conducted in Arles, following a previous notice of motion. The reply added: ‘Discussions are ongoing with TII to progress and scope out the introduction of road traffic safety measures in Arles.’ 

Cllr Moran remarked that she had asked TII to meet with the council “a hundred times” but nothing had happened. She said TII was taking far too long to resolve urgent issues in Arles and the council should put pressure on the national body.

Cllr Brennan said footpaths in the village should be 1.5 metres wide to protect pedestrians and especially children, as “the suck of a lorry” speeding past could pull a child in under the wheels.

Cllr Brennan said he also knew that people were moving their children to other schools but residents’ concerns were “falling on deaf ears” with TII. 

He warned: “No one seems to be listening. When an accident happens or a child is hurt, they will do something.” 

Cllr Pádraig Fleming said that, in response to his previous proposals, some work was done to increase safety and discussions were ongoing with TII. He said that residents and the school wanted a pedestrian crossing but progress was slow and needed to be speeded up.

Cllr Vivienne Phelan asked if there was any possibility of erecting a small overhead bridge, which would allow children to cross the road safely to the GAA pitch. She said: “Maybe not, but it was suggested to me during the local elections.” 

Cllr Fleming said that everyone in the village wanted a pedestrian crossing, adding: “It is with TII and that’s where the focus has to be now.”