Urgent safety measures needed at 'really dangerous' Terenure junction
Safety concerns at the four-way Terenure junction have been allowed to fester for far too long according to one local councillor.
Labour Councillor Fiona Connolly called for an urgent safety audit of the Terenure junction area during Monday’s South East Area Committee meeting. Her renewal of the safety appeal follows a recent tragedy in April, when third-class primary school teacher Fiona Holland was struck and killed by a bus. Cllr Connolly stated she "cannot understand" why pedestrian safety is not being prioritised.
Calls for pedestrian crossings at this four-way junction have been ongoing for years, but Cllr Connolly said “I just don’t think we’re giving it the urgency that it requires”. While future infrastructure proposals, including BusConnects , are in the works, she said they cannot continue to wait for a future solution to “an immediate and pressing day-to-day safety issue for pedestrians”.
“I don’t understand how it’s taking so long to put in pedestrian crossings so people can cross safely at a junction that is this busy,” she said. “I don’t understand why we can’t look at this with more urgency with a view to resolving.”
Social Democrats Cllr Noelle Brown agreed there are major safety concerns at the crossing, but said she raised it with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and they are unwilling to put in any temporary safety measures. “Even one life lost is horrific, and this is a very dangerous junction,” she said.
“It’s up to Dublin City Council to do something. The NTA will do nothing, and they’ve said that categorically.”
Green Party Cllr Carolyn Moore said representatives have been campaigning safety measures at the junction for the past six years and although they risk sounding like “a broken record” they need to keep highlighting it. Considering the recent fatality at the location, she explained there has been an uptick in concern from the local community who have made their own suggestions for improving safety.
“People are making suggestions about how the filter lights could be resynchronized or work better. Asking could cyclists be given a head start at the junction,” she said.
Cllr Moore expressed frustration about having the same debate continually and needing to go back to concerned residents with no solution. She called on the council’s traffic team to come back with a suggestion as there are people who cannot cross safely and children who are unable to walk to school as a result.
A council representative stated they are aware of the issue and that there are major projects ongoing around that particular junction. But they said they speak to other agencies and try to get funding toward temporary safety measures. “I cannot say anything will happen within the next six months, but I will come back to you when I have information on it,” a spokesperson told Cllr Connolly.
"This is something we need to keep on top of the agenda because it’s such a huge issue locally and it is very busy. It’s really dangerous," Cllr Connolly said.
Dublin Live has contacted the NTA for additional comment.
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