New TII Report Confirms Congestion Is The Main Factor Influencing Risk Of Collisions On M7/M9 Merge

The report follows a parliamentary question raised by Labour TD for Kildare South TD, Mark Wall

Following a report on the M7/M9 junction, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has concluded that congestion is the main issue influencing the risk of collisions at that location, rather than the layout or alignment of the merge itself.

The report follows a parliamentary question raised by Labour TD for Kildare South TD, Mark Wall.

Based on the report from TII, the installation of additional advance-warning signage on the M7 mainline has been proposed in order to provide earlier and clearer notice of merging traffic.

This proposal would aim to improve overall driver awareness and to help in reducing the extent of abrupt braking and lane changing that has been prevalent at the merge.

In addition to advance warning signage on the M7 mainline, it was also recommended that vegetation within and around the nosing area be selectively removed or trimmed, in hopes to improve drivers' line of sight between merging and mainline traffic.

TII’s Motorway Maintenance contractor has completed vegetation clearance work at this location in the past fortnight.

In response to this report, Deputy Wall said that the report must now be urgently implemented to address the traffic chaos at the merge.

"This long-awaited report is most welcome from many commuters who have found themselves trapped along the M9/M7 merge", Deputy Wall said.

He continued: "The merge has been a source of major concern for people driving along this section of the road. I welcome the fact that the report now validates what I and many of my constituents have been saying for a long time – traffic congestion is causing collisions here.

"We also need to view this report from a much wider perspective, it is just one part of a range of solutions that are needed to address traffic congestion on our motorways and I will continue to advocate for more solutions like additional investment in rural public transport, a real right to remote working for those who can work from home, and enhanced train capacity and frequency along the Waterford to Heuston train lane.”