School traffic disrupted by major roadworks in Carlow town

TRAFFIC was seriously disrupted last week when Carlow County Council began roadworks in an area where there are five schools in Carlow town.

Major road resurfacing work began on the Browneshill Road, Carlow last week, just when hundreds of local children and teenagers returned for their new school year. Askea BNS, Askea GNS, the Gaelscoil, the Gaelcholáiste and Presentation College are all located in that vicinity.

Traffic flow into the area was disrupted last week, with long queues of cars backed up as far out as the Wexford Road, where more resurfacing works are due to start next week.

One resident in the Browneshill Road area, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was “ridiculous” that the council should carry out major roadworks in the very week that the schools reopened.

“It was pandemonium here, the traffic was so blocked up,” said the resident. “I know that roadworks need to be done, but why now? Didn’t they have the whole summer to carry out this work? I’ve worked on the continent and I’ve never seen such poor traffic management. To start this work when the schools are back is beyond ridiculous. All summer long they could have done this, now there’s more traffic on these roads than ever before.” He also pointed out that no work was being carried out at the weekend, when traffic was much quieter.

However, Carlow County Council director of services Pádraig O’Gorman said it was a “coincidence” that the Browneshill Road works started on the same week as the schools returned and defended the fact that the work is being carried out.

“Over the summer months, we do prioritise roadworks in the front of schools. Next week or the week after, there’ll be another stretch of road to be done. As the contracts are awarded, the work is carried out. We couldn’t do everything over two months in the summer. We can only carry out a limited amount of work during that time,” said Mr O’Gorman.

“Browneshill Road is a major artery into the town, so traffic would be disrupted no matter when this work is carried out. It was coincidental that the work started last week.” The next major resurfacing in the area will start on 9 September on the stretch of road out to the Ballinacarrig Roundabout. The work is expected to last three weeks and will be carried out during night-time hours.