Council gets go-ahead for improvements to notorious Leagh Bends
The scene of fatal road accidents on the N80 at Leagh, Co Carlow Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie
CARLOW County Council has been given the green light from An Coimisiún Pleanála for improvements to be made on a stretch of road on the N80 where several fatal accidents have occurred.
Five people lost their lives in two separate car crashes that occurred at the Leagh Bends, Rathoe, exactly a year apart from each other, on 31 January 2024 and 2025. In the first accident, three young people – two men and a woman – were killed, and in the second, two men died. The Leagh Bends, also known locally as Shirley’s Bends, and other stretches of the N80 were also the location of many non-fatal accidents in recent years.
This year Carlow County Council erected speed cameras at the bends in a bid to slow down traffic while they awaited planning permission to make the road safter.
Yesterday (17 November) the planning body approved proposals submitted by the council for the redevelopment of the road at the notorious black spot. The proposal includes straightening the road and allowing for the compulsory purchase of any lands adjacent to the road in that area. Now that the proposals have been granted, there will be an eight-week period where the public is invited to make submissions and observations about the works.
After that, the council will release detailed designs for the improvement works and will then put the works out to tender.
Minister of state Jennifer Murnane O’Connor welcomed the news and commended the local authority for the measures taken so far.
Ms Murnane O’Connor said: “Carlow County Council have worked very hard on this. It’s a very important development for the area. This is very positive news.”
The news comes as local councillors approved proposals at the November meeting to change the speed limit on the N80, as well as the N81, from 100kph to 80kph, with the change due to come into effect next month.
