An independent councillor has lambasted Kerry County Council over the lack of action on providing speed ramps in Cordal.
Cllr Charlie Farrelly raised a motion at the recent meeting of Castleisland-Corca Dhuibhne municipal district.
It urged the council to provide two speed ramps in the village in order to slow down traffic.
He told council officials that something needs to be done with regards the speed of cars travelling through Cordal; before someone is killed.
Cllr Charlie Farrelly told the meeting that during rush hour each evening, over 100 vehicles use this route and he claimed it’s like a race track.
Kerry County Council responded that a speed survey completed in the village in June 2020 could be used to endorse a funding application.
Cllr Farrelly hit out at the response saying what was recorded 4 years ago is irrelevant now, adding he put four new tires on his van four years ago, they’re no good now, claiming this report should be the same.
He asked the council to revisit the issue, especially between the church and local cemetery; adding a speed survey and survey on the number of cars travelling along the route in after work traffic should be undertaken.
The council said any traffic calming measures in Cordal would require a suitable source of funding.
Cllr Farrelly asked why councillor allocations couldn’t be used to purchase speed ramps; he added he has spent over €7,000 to date in allocations for signage and road linings to tackle the issue.
The council responded that a number of factors are at play, including council budgets, allocations, and upcoming changes to speed limits in the new year.
The independent councillor said speed ramps are ten-a-dozen in Killarney, and that you can’t get up to 15miles an hour driving through that town; while 6 miles up the road in Ballydesmond, the road has speed vans in the village centre constantly.
Cllr Farrelly asked the council why the same couldn’t be done for Cordal, adding he’s not taking no for an answer on the issue.
The motion was seconded by Fianna Fáil councillor, Fionnán Fitzgerald.
