Top garda says people blame the N80 but it’s not always the road
There have been four deaths on the N80 between Carlow and Ballon so far this year
FOLLOWING another tragic road accident on the N80 near Carlow town, a top garda has said we need to look at driver behaviour.
Speaking to after 33-year-old Denise O’Meara from Tipperary was killed on the notorious stretch of road last Monday evening, Divisional Roads Policing Inspector Paul Donohoe said: “This accident occurred on a straight stretch of road. Gardaí are investigating the cause and the reason for the accident, which will take eight to 12 weeks. We issued an appeal for witnesses or for anyone with dashcam footage to come forward, and a number of witnesses have already done so as a result. We are continuing that appeal.” He continued: “People always blame the N80, but it’s not necessarily the road – we also need to look at driver behaviour, especially on a straight stretch of road. The biggest thing about the N80 is the volume of traffic. It’s constant.” Ms O’Meara was returning from work at the time and two men in a separate vehicle were seriously injured in the crash. She was the fourth person to have died on that section of the N80 after three young people lost their lives in an horrific accident in January at Leagh Bends. Also this year, a motorcyclist was seriously injured in another incident, while there have been numerous accidents over the years, prompting urgent calls for the road to be upgraded.
There are plans to make the road safer by realigning Leagh Bends, with Carlow County Council receiving approval in May for that work. The local authority also got consent to lodge another application to An Bord Pleanála for more works to be carried out and has put a legal team in place to work on the last application, before it’s sent to the planning board.
In the meantime, the council has also got approval from Transport Infrastructure Ireland to install a fixed speed camera in the Leagh Bends area – one of only ten sites in the country – and is currently engaging with landowners in looking for a suitable location for the camera.
Cllr John Pender told that while he realises it takes time to process an application such as road improvements to the N80, he is urging the local authority to prioritise it to ensure it happens as soon as possible. He also said that local residents have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the road.
“There is such a huge volume of traffic on that road. The upgrade to the N80 has to be made top priority; it’s now a matter of extreme urgency,” said cllr Pender. “It’s practically impossible for local people to get out of their properties in the mornings, such is the volume of traffic. There’s strings of traffic all along that road from Carlow to Bunclody. I get representations from people on a regular basis, as do the other councillors, I’m sure. What’s really needed is a motorway or a dual carriageway because of the volume of traffic on that road. It's the main road from Rosslare into the midlands and the west. There’s so much traffic on it.” approached the Road Safety Authority for a comment about the N80. A spokesperson said that while they couldn’t talk about specific accidents or roads, the RSA is running a campaign telling people to slow down and to stay off their phones while driving.
Gardaí are carrying out an investigation into the most recent crash and are appealing for information from the public.
If anyone has information to support the garda investigation, please contact Tullow Garda Station on 059 9151222, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111 or any garda station.
