Urban cores identified in Manorhamilton District discussed at meeting

The urban centres identified by the CSO in the Manorhamilton Municipal District were discussed at last week's MD meeting.

The centres were identified as part of the process of formulating proposed new speed limits for the whole county.

The proposed speed limits would see local roads limits go down from 80 to 60 km/h on local roads.

In built up urban centres, the speed limit would be 30 km/h. National Secondary roads would see a decrease from 100 down to 80 km/h.

Meanwhile, roads adjacent to schools in rural areas would have speed limits of 50 km/h.

Manorhamilton, Drumkeerin, Dromahair, Kinlough and Tullaghan were identified as the urban centres in the municipal district.

However, Tullaghan was identified as the only one of the five not to have an “urban core.”

Explaining the process to councillors, Darragh O'Boyle, Senior Engineer with Leitrim County Council, said that the guidelines used by the Central Statistics Office “were the same for Cork city as Leitrim.”

“An urban core is defined as an area where it is is difficult to drive over 30 km/h. Carrigallen's main street would be a good example of an urban core,” he explained.

O'Boyle accepted that residents of smaller villages in the county could be unhappy as a result of the CSO's work.

“People in Fenagh, Cloone and Kiltyclogher, to name just three, won't be happy due to the CSO not identifying an urban core in those villages,” he stated.

Referring to the intention to bring the proposed 30 km/h urban core speed limits before the councillors at the October meeting, where councillors will decide to adopt them or not, O'Boyle said, “this won't work without you guys.”

He stressed that his door was open to councillors in the meantime. “I don't want workshops held, councillors can call into my office,” he explained.

Councillors expressed some of their concerns over the proposals.

“You are not bringing me with you,” Cllr Eddie Mitchell (Ind) told O'Boyle.

“These proposals are not looking at areas that are really dangerous, such as between the Rainbow ballroom and Glenfarne village,” he commented.

In response, Darragh O'Boyle said, “nobody in the council had an input into the CSO's work in identifying urban centres and urban cores.”

Cllr Justin Warnock (FF) highlighted the issue of the Carrick-on-Shannon road in Kinlough.

“On the Carrick road, there is a hub, sports ground and community centre. There is a speed limit of 50 km/h on this road, but nobody passes a blind bit of heed to it,” he explained.

“I am afraid that someone will be killed on that road. On Monday night, when bingo is held in the community centre, there could be over 100 people present,” Cllr Warnock added.

The councillor went on to say that, “when you drive into the village of Kinlough, you are straight into the urban core.”

District Cathaoirleach Padraig Fallon expressed his view that the proposals, “took a commonsense approach with regards villages.”

Cllr James Gilmartin (Ind) highlighted concerns over “a speeding issue in Dromahair.”

Cllr Mary Bohan (FF) told the meeting that, “residents of a housing estate in Drumkererin are complaining about speeding.”

Local Authorities will adopt the 30km/h speed limits in urban cores by adopting special speed limit bye-laws.