Motorists ‘pulled off roads’ in Leitrim due to verge drop offs

There have been incidents of cars being pulled off roads in South Leitrim into drains and ditches due to verges on certain roads.

Cllr Cormac Flynn brought forward a motion to a meeting of Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District, asking the Council to undertake an immediate review and revision of current road resurfacing practices, particularly the method of overlaying existing road surfaces, which results in a significant vertical drop at the road edge.

“This drop is causing vehicles, especially those travelling in narrow sections, to be pulled off the carriageway and into adjoining drains or ditches, leading to crashes and serious safety risks,” stated Cllr Flynn’s motion.

Cllr Flynn noted that overlaying existing surfaces results in a “big step off the road” and “if your wheels go off the road it’s very difficult and steep to get it back on.”

He noted that there have been two incidents of this happening leading up to Hartley Bridge and three incidents at Kilclare, where cars have gone in and had to be helped out, describing it as a “hazard.”

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The motion was seconded by Cllr Maeve Reynolds, Cllr McGowan, Cllr Stenson and Cllr Irene-Guckian Rabbitte. Cllr Reynolds commented that it is also a drainage issue. “It also becomes a drainage issue for houses that are located along the road when it becomes a lot higher than it was and the water starts coming off the road a different way than it was before,” she added.

“Filling up the verges first would be the right approach,” commented Cllr McGowan, with Cllr Guckian-Rabbitte suggesting that laybys would help the situation.

A response from the Roads Department explained that the purpose of the overlay is an additional strengthening layer, and that road edging which has been heightened as a result can be addressed by banking of clay or site material, which creates a higher margin at the road edge; piping adjoining drainage if the road land drainage is exposed by the road strengthening; and placing delineators where neither of the above can be accommodated.

“We are unaware of where vehicles have gone off the carriageways which may have been caused by a number of different factors,” the response also noted.

District Engineer Emma Donohoe told Cllr Flynn that they are unaware of incidents but will investigate if locations are provided.

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“It is an issue across the county I’m sure,” added Cllr Flynn.