A NEW pedestrian crossing will be installed in Leap this year as part of a €550,000 allocation under the council’s road safety improvement scheme.

Mark O’Sullivan, director of roads, said technical consultants, Atkins, assisted in the detailed design of several road safety improvement schemes that are expected to proceed to construction this year subject to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) approval and funding.

The director said he was hopeful that the Leap crossing, which is needed to provide safe access to the local playground, school, and church, will be finalised in 2026 because the design report has already been done and approval has been given.

Mark O’Sullivan informed the members of the Western Committee at their recent monthly meeting that there are five more pedestrian crossings likely to be constructed in 2027.

These five includes two in Bandon, one in Bantry, one in Clonakilty and one in Rosscarbery, but these too will be subject to TII approval and funding availability.

Cllr Isobel Towse (SD) said: ‘There is a real sense of urgency with the Leap crossing since the local playground was upgraded.

‘The playground is now 100 times more popular, but parents are saying the problem with traffic is more prevalent,’ she added.

Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG) said the pedestrian crossing would be an important element for controlling the speed of vehicles as they approach the village of Leap.

‘The speed limit is 60km on the approach road from Clonakilty, reducing to 50km, but not too many people abide by that,’ said Cllr McCarthy, who requested that additional signage be put in place to warn motorists to slow down.

With 246 new houses coming on stream in the vicinity of the Clonakilty bypass, Cllr Towse said the safety afforded by a pedestrian crossing in that area can’t come soon enough.

The acting chairman of the western division, Cllr Daniel Sexton. (Ind Ire) agreed that a lot of planning for housing development has been granted in Clonakilty and it is ‘a long way from getting a proper bypass.’

Cllr Deirdre Kelly (FF) asked the director of roads to include a pedestrian crossing at the junction adjacent to the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway in the list of projects being considered for construction under the road safety improvement scheme 2027.