€65m Kerry road upgrade ‘would save lives’

Eight people have died in traffic accidents over a 10-year period on a busy tourist route earmarked for a major upgrade.

An Taisce is objecting to plans by Kerry County Council for a €65m improvement scheme on the N86 Tralee to Dingle road.

Road Safety Authority statistics show that, between 2003 and 2013, there were 65 collisions on the N86. There were eight fatalities on the road in that period and 112 injuries, 25 of which are described as serious, according to statistics given to Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae, in reply to a Dáil question.