Chair of campaign group says 150 incidents have been recorded in less than a year and claim the higher speed limit has heightened fears for road users.
The controversial Moone and Timolin 3KM cycle lane has come into focus again. Its been a year since the National Cycle Network Pilot Project began which was delivered by Kildare County Council in partnership with Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
A cycle lane along with traffic calming measures were introduced. Works on the project are estimated to have cost €1.6 million however it is believed due to further works being conducted that the spend is higher.
Earlier this year an independent report,commissioned by Kildare County Council highlighted safety concerns and found that the wide carriageway on the R448 encourages high-speed traffic, which increases the risk of high-severity collisions with vulnerable road users.
Works to address to road safety issues have been completed and last week the road speed has changed from 60km per hour to 100 km per hour.
Speaking on Kildare Today, Mark Hilliard, Chair from the Moone and Timolin Positive Action Group explained how they have been recording instances occurring on the road last October: "We're at 150 incidents there now, when we started recording last October, incidents both minor and we would consider major. Hopefully we won't be recording a fatality, nobody wants that, but with the speed limit back up to 100 kilometres an hour, it won't surprise anybody if something like that does happen."
Hilliard went onto say "cyclists won't use the lane because it's dirty, it gathers dirt and they would find it hazardous. They're pushed onto the road and that slows down traffic. People get angry, try to pass out, don't realise that there's no space for passing, they don't realise that there's islands coming".
The full interview is available to listen to here:
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