Locals Concerned Over Traffic Light Signal Times In Newbridge

Friday, 27 February 2026 at 12:31

By Emma O'Connor

Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender highlight's the issue at the latest Kildare/Newbridge MD meeting.

Locals have voiced concern over traffic signal times at St Conleth's Bridge in Newbridge, as well as the general Newbridge area.

People living with disabilities and elderly people are not successfully getting across the road on time, according to one local councillor.

Social Democrats Councillor Chris Pender joined Hannah Kelly on this morning’s Kildare Today to review his motions from the latest Kildare/Newbridge MD meeting.

Cllr Pender highlighted one motion in particular that requested the council to review signal timing and sequencing at St Conleth’s Bridge in Newbridge and other signalised junctions across the district.

It’s understood Cllr Pender experimented with locals as he paced alongside them - showing in-person how long it takes.

According to his findings, only some people managed to get half way across the road within the window of the green pedestrian light.

In response, Senior Engineer, Sustainable Transport and Traffic Management, Mr Donal Hodgins, stated that each set of signal controlled pedestrian crossings and signal controlled junctions across Kildare have built in safety timings programme into the traffic controller.

Each pedestrian crossing/junction is assessed using industry standards and technical guidance documents.

According to the report, the traffic signals in Newbridge are controlled by an Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system called SCOOT (Split Cycle Offset Optimisation Technique).

This is the councillors second time to highlight the issue.

Cllr Pender remains unsatisfied and continues to review data supplied by Kildare County Council.