This page provides a current update for the project to improve traffic safety at Allenwood Cross, particularly for pedestrians. The number of near misses is increasing and Kildare County Council refuse to move on the issue, despite consistent and regular requests at Municipal District level.
The issue has been ongoing for several years, with no progress made by Kildare County Council.
STATUS: ONGOING WITH NEAR MISSES INCREASING
SUMMARY:
An assessment was completed by KCC in February 2019 to identify the necessary improvements. At that time a full traffic light controlled system was deemed as warranted by the council.
The council appeared to be awating the outcome of the ongoing Drehid expansion application at the time, presuming funding would become available if that was granted.
This planning was rejected and the group that was mananging the project (TAAG) was disbanded, and the council then began stating that a signal controlled junction was not the solution.
The council then committed to a Junction Improvement Programme in February 2022, provided a list of junctions in April 2022, was finalising a list of consultants in December 2022 and was near to appointing a consultant in May 2023.
I have requested another update in the December 2023 meeting.
TIMELINE
February 19th 2019
Following conversations with residents of Allenwood Cross regarding concerns over pedestrian safety following several near-miss incidents, I made the following request to Kildare County Council.
I would appreciate an update on the review of the pedestrian lights at Allenwood Cross.
Both Allenwood Tidy Towns and the Allenwood NS Parents Association are being informed of near misses at both crossing points on a regular basis.
The North / South crossing at Costcutters is too close to the junction now and was far safer at its original location.
We know that the East / West crossing on the Newbridge Road was monitored by cameras for a while last year but we haven’t heard back on the results of that monitoring.
Please let us know the current status of the assessment of these crossings to report back to the community.
Thanks,
Brendan Wyse
Secretary, Allenwood Tidy Towns
February 22nd 2019
Cllr. Mark Stafford forwarded me an email that had been sent to councillors, with an update from the council’s Technical Assessment and Advisory Group (TAAG). I wrote about that here.
Dear Cathaoirleach & Councillor,
In respect to item (KN17/0119)- Pedestrian crossings at Allenwood crossroads (KN17/0119) please see update below from the Roads Department.
The junction at Allenwood village was examined under TAAG to investigate whether a signalised junction was warranted at this location. As part of this process a pedestrian and traffic survey was undertaken. Traffic flow levels at the junction would not indicate that a signalised junction is required at this location in accordance with guidance figures for the selection of junction types in the Traffic Management Guidelines.
However taking into consideration the location of the junction, geometry of the junction, type of traffic movements, anticipated future development of the village and assessment of all junction users, it is determined that a signalised junction is appropriate at this location.
The next stage of the process is to identify and source funding for ;
1) The Design & Tender for a Signalised junction in accordance with Kildare County Council Traffic management Section Requirements,
2) The construction of signalised junction,Considering similar type of projects undertaken an estimate for the cost of these works is between €100K-€250K depending on the extent of civils works required.
Yours sincerely
Administrative Officer
Roads Transportation and Public Safety
Kildare County Council
March 4th 2019
A reply to my request of February 19th was received as follows:
Following a pedestrian/traffic count and review of the operation of Allenwood Cross Roads a signalised junction has been recommended to be installed at this location.
A source of funding has to be identified in order to design/tender and construct the proposed junction. Hopefully this information is useful.
4th October 2019
I asked a question at the Clane Maynooth MD meeting of October 2019, seeking an update on the progress made seeking funding and was told that no funding was identified. The council were awaiting the outcome of the Drehid Landfill planning application for which an oral hearing had concluded in March 2019.
Note: This planning was later refused.
6th December 2019
The issue was raised again as a motion by Cllr. Daragh Fitzpatrick, and seconded by myself in the December MD meeting. We set out the issues at the cross and received the same response that no funding had been identified. The council mentioned the ongoing planning application for the Drehid Landfill expansion, which was later refused.
7th February 2020
I again raised the question to the area engineer at the 2020 February MD meeting regarding progress on the issue and was told a more detailed report would be provided at the next meeting, in March. The project was being managed by the Technical Assessment Advisory Group (TAAG).
Note: The TAAG group was subsequently disbanded and never produced any work of note.
6th March 2020
Following the commitment made at the February meeting, I asked for the report by TAAG, but it was not provided. The area engineer said that TAAG had not provided the report.
8th January 2021
Following the decision to refuse the Drehid Landfill expansion, Cllr. Fitzpatrick asked the council to find another source of funding. The district engineer stated that he would be actively looking to secure funding for works on the landfill haul routes.
9th April 2021
The request to install traffic lights at Allenwood Cross was repeated in a motion by Cllr. Fitzpatrick. Mr. McGowan, speaking on behalf of the council, reversed the previous assessment by TAAG that traffic lights were warranted.
3rd September 2021
A motion was raised by Cllr. Farrelly and seconded by myself asking the council to initiate a review of junctions, including Allenwood Cross. The council replied that it would consider doing this review.
The minutes note the 12 to 18 months wait for news on this matter.
4th February 2022
In response to a question at the February 2022 MD meeting, the senior engineer of the council stated that he was not convinced that traffic lights were the solution to the issues of traffic at Allenwood Cross. This repeated the reversal of the assessment previously carried out by TAAG, when the village was less populated.
The council committed to providing a priority list of junctions that require improvement due to safety or other concerns. A report on this priority list would be provided by the end of 2022 (10 months time).
1st April 2022
Stephen Deegan, Senior Engineer from the Roads Design team gave an update on the new Junction Programme. Allenwood Cross was listed on the programme and questions were asked about the availability of traffic counts.
June 2022
A folder of work by Allenwood Safety Committee was submitted to the Sustainable Transport team in Kildare County Council by me, and it was requested that the material in this folder such as near miss reports and surveys be used to inform the Junction Improvement assessment at Allenwood Cross.
2nd September 2022
I asked a question at the September 2022 MD meeting seeking an update on the Junction Improvement Programme which was first committed by the council in February of the same year. The council replied that the first stage was nearing completion, which was to form a framework of suitable and interested consultants.
5th May 2023
I again asked for an update on the Junction Programme, which was first committed to 15 months previously, and was informed that a tender was being finalised to appoint a consultant.
I expressed dissatisfaction that 5 months was too long to decide on a consultant.
August 2023
I made a submission to An Bord Pleanála requesting specific funding for traffic lights and proper pedestrian crossings at Allenwood Cross, as a condition of planning, if the expansion is granted.
See https://b-wy.se/drehid-2023
November 2023
I have raised a question again asking for an update on the Junction Improvement Programme. Based on the answer to this question, there may be need to escalate the project by action beyond the Municipal District meetings.