CALLS have been made to rebuild a wall and erect a crash barrier at the site of a fatal accident in Glengarriff.
Five years ago, two young men lost their lives in an accident on the N71 Kenmare Road at the bridge near Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve.
Cllr Finbarr Harrington raised the issue at a recent Western Divisional Committee meeting, saying that the development was essential to prevent further accidents at the bridge. He added the family of the crash victims were reminded of the tragedy every time they drove by the bridge and saw the
damaged wall.
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However, as the road is a national one, Cork County Council need to liaise with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) before any work can be planned.
‘It would give great solace to their families and friends. Something needs to be done. It’s been five years and the wall is still not repaired. We need some crash barriers because at the moment it’s another accident waiting to happen,’ he said.
‘I knew both of them through the GAA and the family has asked me to raise this issue.’
Cllr Danny Collins said he had been pushing the authority over the issue, but had not wanted to bring it up as a motion because of the sensitivity
attached to it.
‘It’s very sensitive and I knew the two lads who were killed very well. I raised it with Padraig Barrett for the past five years,’ said Cllr Collins.
Cllr Caroline Cronin added also that she has been on to the local engineer.
‘I did not want to raise it this way, but I would like to see it fixed,’ she said.
Chairman of the Western District Council meeting, Cllr Joe Carroll said he would also raise the issue at an upcoming meeting on road and traffic related matters in Dublin.
Padraig Barrett, Cork County Council’s Director of Services, Roads, Transportation and Area Services, said: ‘The N71 is a national road and Cork County Council National Roads Design Office is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the national road network under the direction of TII.
‘The request for wall repairs and a safety barrier at this location will be examined by the National Road Design Office of Cork County Council in consultation with TII’.
