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Irish Independent
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
Kerry rate payers ‘exposed' because claims could be made if incidents occur on narrowed Fossa Road
Councillor Brendan Cronin said the six-metre width of the under-development roadway, designed to slow down traffic travelling past Fossa NS, will lead to incidents occurring when large vehicles like trucks and agricultural machinery meet. Cllr Cronin claimed these incidents will result in insurance claims being made against Kerry County Council (KCC), exposing the contributions of commercial rate payers. 'It's they who are forking out their rates every year,' he said. 'And that's who eventually pays the insurance policy.' The Independent representative, speaking at Friday's Killarney Municipal District meeting, was frustrated with KCC's response to his motion questioning whether the council's financial assets and rate payers would be 'exposed' by incidents occurring on the narrowed Fossa Road. Part of KCC's response said the six-metre width of the road was chosen because it has been successfully used to reduce speeding on other national roads. The response said an average of 8,800 vehicles travel on the Fossa Road every day, with less than 3pc of this traffic being HGVs. It said these vehicles will not meet often and will still be able to pass by each other at low speeds. It outlined that in the case of abnormally wide loads, there are areas where vehicles can pull in. Cllr Cronin said this response made it clear that councillors' concerns about the new road, and their proposal to widen it at an earlier stage of construction, was ignored. 'When the second side [of the new road] was being built, we pinpointed repeatedly, every single one of us, about the danger with the 3-metres wide [driving lanes], and the vehicles that are 3.15m and wider,' Cllr Cronin said. The councillor 'took exception' to the last paragraph of the KCC response, which states that: 'Drivers must obey the Rules of the Road and drive in a responsible manner. Drivers also have to be insured. In the event of an incident, the matter is dealt with by the drivers' private insurance and not Kerry County Council's insurance.' Cllr Cronin begged to differ. 'If you build a road and it's not wide enough - and I mean 'you' being the TII and KCC – for two legal road worthy vehicles to meet safely and pass safely without one of them having to drive up on a foot high kerb, then the responsibility is not with the driver, the responsibility is not with the driver's insurance, the responsibility is with KCC's insurance and TII,' he said. 'No one else,' he added. 'And this will be tested without question in time to come.' In response, KCC roads and transportation director Frank Hartnett said he had given a very comprehensive reply to Cllr Cronin's motion and was not going to add to it.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Council accused of ‘ignoring concerns' over width of road in Kerry project
Many have taken to social media to comment on the picture which appears to highlight how tight the new road layout is. While there has been a staunch defence from the local authority who argue that the more narrow road is in fact in line with regulation and will in fact help slow down traffic, the argument has been rejected by many – particularly those using commercial and agricultural vehicles and the photo has backed up their arguments. It is an issue that has been raised for several weeks by local councillors who have said they are inundated with calls and messages about the Fossa Safety Improvement Project which has seen the road narrowed and footpaths widened to cater for the addition of cycle lanes. In parts of the new section, the footpath on one side is in fact wider than the road surface. 'Since the second kerb has gone in, professional drivers have complained that it is desperate tight. Agricultural drivers and bus drivers have expressed concerns but these concerns are falling on deaf ears,' said Cllr Brendan Cronin. He said Kerry County Council has repeatedly stated that the road is the correct width – six metres as per regulations from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Cllr Cronin said concerns were raised about Muckross Road previously – which is seven metres in width – and Fossa is narrower than that with each carriage way 3 metres in width or 9.9ft. He said that agricultural machinery can be 10ft wide which highlights the issues at play. 'You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see the issue,' he remarked. Cllr Cronin said, however, despite the concerns raised, the council is not listening when they should be given that changes could still be implemented if needed. ADVERTISEMENT 'They are ignoring what we are saying and the concerns of drivers,' he added. Cllr Cronin said the project is about safety and the pedestrian crossing at the school is vital but if there are issues they should be addressed. Mayor Maura Healy Rae has also raised concerns over the works. The issue is expected to flare up this morning (Wednesday) as Killarney councillors are attending the monthly Killarney Municipal District meeting. Meanwhile, on Sunday, emergency services were called to Fossa after a pedestrian was knocked down crossing the N72 at Fossa shortly before 11pm. A 33-year-old Ukrainian woman living locally was taken to UHK following injuries sustained in the impact which occurred close Fossa Cross near the Golden Nugget. Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene and the injured party was conveyed to Kerry University Hospital for treatment.
Irish Independent
24-04-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
‘People are gone mad' – Frustration at Kerry roadworks
With summer fast approaching there is mounting fear that the situation is set to get worse as traffic increases. There is also significant concerns that when completed the road will not be wide enough for trucks and agricultural machinery – a claim engineers have dismissed. Cllr Brendan Cronin said councillors are fielding daily calls with concerns from the public. He said the works are 'causing much controversy' and they will for some time given they are scheduled to continue until July. 'People are gone is genuine frustration. People are being held are really angry and frustrated.' Cllr Cronin said the problems are exacerbated by the length of the required works and the amount of daily traffic on the route as well as the nature of the works which he said are 'tricky'. 'It is a long awkward project,' said Cllr Cronin. 'There are delays and delays and you have to understand the frustration.' But he said that despite this the works are absolutely vital. 'These works are a priority for safety especially from a school perspective, which has been waiting for 20 years for a pedestrian crossing. The works have to be done and we need to see the positive too, not just the negative.' It is hoped that once this current section is completed that the delays will improve. Tarmac was completed in recent days and that will help but there is still significant works to be completed. Cllr Cronin said the width of the road has been raised with the engineers who said that it is the standard requirement. Deputy Michael Cahill said he too has been contacted about the width of the road and has been given similar assurances: 'These are essential works at Fossa and though it is causing a lot of inconvenience during the project, it will be a fantastic job when completed. Some people have voiced the fear that the new route will be too narrow but Senior Executive Engineer Paul Curry with Kerry County Council assures me that it conforms to the European standard of six metres for such a road.'
