Motorists forced to run the gauntlet of too many ramps

RESIDENTS on the Tullow Road have to literally run the gauntlet every time they go out for a pint of milk, such is the number of ramps they have to negotiate.

Cllr Adrienne Wallace raised the issue of speed ramps at the entrance to John Sweeney Park, The Laurels, Willow Park and several other estates all accessing the Tullow Road from the same entrance.

“Can we reduce the number of ramps at John Sweeney and The Laurels … it’s ridiculous the amount of them people have to go over when they might be just heading out for a pint of milk,” remarked cllr Wallace.

Cllr Wallace was also critical of the height of the kerbing at Riverside in Hanover.

“The kerb between the cycle path and the road is quite big, it’s a thick kerb and you’d wonder does it need to be, because the other side at Penneys entrance isn’t as big,” she stated.

Cllr Wallace also raised the issue of laneways behind the houses at John Sweeney Park, which have been closed for a number of years due to anti-social behaviour but are now “just dumping grounds”.

“Is there any way we can do something with them? Can they be extended to become part of people’s back gardens, because there are a number of alleyways that are just dead zones,” she said.

Town engineer Cian Madden stated that removing ramps was not a simple issue, asking how many is acceptable and that if they are removed, other traffic-calming measures needed to be put in their place.

“We are also looking potentially at another entrance at that location,” he said. Mr Madden said the council would look at the laneways issue in John Sweeney Park and “think about that best way forward”.