Calls for pedestrian crossing and traffic calming on N71 at Lisavaird over school safety fears

Teachers currently stop traffic on the national route to allow pupils safely reach the community hall

Calls have been made for traffic calming measures and a pedestrian crossing to be installed on the N71 at Lisavaird amid concerns for the safety of school children and other pedestrians. File picture: Denis Minihane

Calls have been made for traffic-calming measures and a pedestrian crossing to be installed on the N71 at Lisavaird amid concerns for the safety of schoolchildren and other pedestrians.

The issue was raised at a recent meeting of Cork County Council’s West Cork Municipal District by Social Democrats councillor Isobel Towse, who called on the council to write to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) seeking urgent action.

Ms Towse said Lisavaird, or “The Pike” as it is locally known, may be a small village between Clonakilty and Rosscarbery, but it is bisected by the busy N71 and residents regularly have to cross the road to access local facilities.

She said the village is home to Lisavaird National School, the recently reopened Pike Bar, a community hall, a gym, Hurley’s Garage and housing on both sides of the road.

Ms Towse said the greatest concern relates to pupils from Lisavaird National School, who regularly cross the road to use the community hall.

“Perhaps the main safety concern is that pupils from Lisavaird National School have to cross this road regularly to use the hall. They need four teachers in high-vis jackets to stand in the middle of the road and stop traffic to allow pupils to cross on what is a national road,” she told councillors.

Ms Towse said the school has no alternative, as it does not have its own hall, and described the current arrangement as unsafe.

She called for additional speed feedback signs, rumble strips, improved signage and refreshed road markings as immediate measures, while also seeking a pedestrian crossing, improved lighting and footpaths.

Ms Towse said she had been contacted by concerned parents and had also spoken with the school principal, who stressed the urgency of the issue.

She added that she had raised the matter with the council’s roads office on three occasions over the past year, resulting in some signage being replaced, but said it was now time to “escalate the matter” to TII.

Independent Ireland councillor Daniel Sexton seconded the motion and said excessive speeds through the village posed a danger to pedestrians.

Responding on behalf of the council, senior executive engineer John Ahern said the N71 falls under the remit of TII and that all substantive works require its approval and funding.

Mr Ahern said the request had been submitted to the National Roads Design Office in Glanmire for consideration by TII.

Councillors agreed that correspondence should issue to TII seeking priority consideration for the proposed safety improvements.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.