Cork village residents 'very concerned' as motorists clocked doing 130km/h in 50km/h zone

Motorists are using Killeagh in East Cork as a 'rat run' to avoid Celtic Interconnector works on the N25 and putting lives at risk by driving at speed through the village, councillors told 

'I've seen near misses with children. There are cars doing 130km/h in a 50km/h zone. We can see this from the speed activation signs in the village,' a Killeagh resident said. File picture: Denis Minihane

Motorists are regularly clocking up to 130km/h as they drive past a busy creche in an East Cork village where the speed limit is 50km/h.

The claim has been made by members of a community council, who have reported the speeding incidents to gardaí, and who are fearful a child is going to be seriously injured or worse.

A deputation from the Killeagh/Inch Community Council told a meeting of the East Cork Municipal District Council that the speed of vehicles coming into Killeagh on the Mogeely road is becoming worse daily.

They are also concerned that a growing number of motorists are using the road as ‘a rat run’ to avoid stop/go hold-ups on the N25 (main Cork-Waterford road) where EirGrid is carrying out ducting for the Celtic Interconnector cables.

Noreen Ingamells, chairperson of the community council, said there was currently no safe place to cross in Killeagh. She said locals were very concerned for the safety of 48 children who attend the Tiny Totts creche, and the 24 who go there for its after-school services.

“We see those at significant risk. There's also three busloads of students mounting and dismounting buses there for secondary schools. A number of elderly residents also need a safe place to cross. We really need a zebra crossing,” she said.

Local resident Lorraine McCarthy lives in one of five estates in the area, with about 350 houses.

“I've seen near misses with children. There are cars doing 130km/h in a 50km/h zone. We can see this from the speed activation signs in the village. My youngest daughter, 12, is too afraid to go to the shop on her own as it’s too dangerous to cross the road. It’s getting scary and intimidating for people to cross the road,” Ms McCarthy said.

Municipal district council chairwoman, Independent councillor Mary Linehan-Foley said she understood how serious the safety issue was as her daughter lives in the village.

“Speeding is a big problem. It has also become a rat run with people avoiding the Celtic Interconnector works hold-ups on the main road,” she said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Ann Marie Ahern said: “I recognise what you are looking for is very warranted. It is a straight and dangerous section of road.”

Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Mulcahy, who lives in Killeagh parish, maintained there should be two pedestrian crossings in the village.

The deputations' call for improved safety measures was backed by all the councillors.

Dave Clarke, the council’s senior executive engineer for the region, admitted “it’s a highly trafficked road”, and said they had installed traffic counters to see the impact of the EirGrid works are having.

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He promised to ask the council’s road safety officer to look at the village for traffic calming measures.

Meanwhile, independent councillor John Buckley asked Mr Clarke to look at improving traffic calming measures in the village of Saleen. He said he was particularly worried about safety of the children attending the local national school and had discussed the concerns raised by its principal.

There is a danger with cars overtaking oil tankers coming up from the Whitegate refinery up the hill towards the school, he said.

Mr Clarke promised council staff would carry out a speed survey in the next couple of weeks in the area and would also contact gardaí asking they carry out speed enforcement there.