There is welcome from local Labour
Councillor Peter Coyle for the works now agreed to go ahead over coming months
for road safety measures on the popular Malahide-Portmarnock Coast Road. There
have been a number of accidents, including one fatal one, on this coastal route
between High Rock and Martello Tower. There have also been a number of near
misses of pedestrians walking along the popular coastal walkway by cars leaving
the road in this area. Cllr Peter Coyle raised this matter a number of times
over the past eighteen months, and in September 2007 met road engineers on site
to highlight the problems. Funding was provided in the 2008 Programme of Works
to address the problems. Fingal Co Council hired MDM Consultancy Company to
examine the situation and recommend solutions. At a recent Fingal Co Council
Area Committee meeting MDM’s report and recommendations were considered. Two
particular areas along this stretch of road were looked at separately, with
proposed alternative solutions…… for the area adjacent to High Rock and the
approach to the Martello Tower.
At
High Rock it was reported that the camber on the road itself contributed to the
problem, and it is now proposed to reverse this. It is also proposed to extend
an embankment or berm, about one meter high, along the roadside, to provide
extra protection. This will contribute to the vista along the road, as well as
being safer for drivers and pedestrians. Near the Martello Tower it is proposed
to provide a safety barrier, as well as some other traffic management including
relocation of the Gateway signs and variable message Speed Reader.
Fingal
Co Council has already initiated the contract process to carry out these works
in the short term. Cllr Peter Coyle welcomes the advance in making this popular
coastal route safer for pedestrians and motorists.