Speed signs for dangerous Kerry junction with hot debate over further remedies

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Electronic speed signs have been installed on a busy Kerry road in an attempt to make safe an accident blackspot that has witnessed a ‘mind boggling’ number of incidents.

However, a further recommendation to remove the junction’s slip lane was met with outrage from councillors, with Councillor John O’Donoghue warning it would be an ‘unmitigated disaster’.

The Poulgorm junction, where the N22 Killarney to Cork road meets the R569 towards Kilgarvan by Loo Bridge, witnessed several collisions towards the end of last year and is regularly the location of minor accidents.

In October, over 1,000 people signed a petition highlighting the dangers at the junction which has been raised repeatedly over the years.

New vehicle-activated signs have now been installed at the junction, warning motorists to slow down and giving the council remote access to traffic speed data.

Killarney Municipal District councillors welcomed the change but asked that further measures be put in place.

“I passed the road several times and they are incredibly effective,” said Councillor Niall Kelleher, adding: “however the residents have raised other issues”.

He suggested public lighting be installed to make the area more visible at night, sentiments echoed by Councillor Maura Healy-Rae.

She quipped that some of the junctions along the county bounds were like ‘Times Square’ and asked that lower speed limits also be put in place around the junction.

A senior Kerry County Council (KCC) engineer said a reduced speed limit was being discussed with Transport Infrastructure Ireland but argued that lighting wouldn’t be the correct solution, given accidents were happening during daylight hours.

They also referenced the previously mooted solution of increasing the length of the slip lane, which is provided for motorists turning off the N22, saying an increase would not be effective.

In fact, removing the slip altogether would be seen as the ‘positive remedy’, they said, pointing to previous studies at other junctions.

Cllr O’Donoghue slammed the suggestion, warning it would cause an ‘unmitigated disaster’.

“People who drive the junction would certainly say differently,” he argued.

“If the slip lane is removed, we will see rear endings. I think this would be an unmitigated disaster.”

“The people who make these decisions look at screens, they need to come down and look at the junction,” added Councillor Marie Moloney.

KCC said the new signs were also collecting data on traffic speeds and would inform future decisions at the site.