Stop the lights at Gorey Bridge

By Dan Walsh at Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council meeting

Plans to replace the temporary traffic lights on Arklow Road at the Ballytegan Road junction and before the railway bridge with a permanent set of traffic lights were discussed at last Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council.

Cllr Joe Sullivan raised the matter at the meeting and said he had received many complaints about the decision to locate traffic lights at this junction and told the meeting he “had a responsibility and an obligation to represent the views of the people who elected him.”

Cllr Darragh McDonald noted that the temporary traffic lights were placed there ahead of the smart traffic lights.

Referring to Cllr Sullivan’s remarks about the lights slowing down people’s journeys and driving people to Arklow for shopping, Cllr Anthony Donohoe remarked “wouldn’t be worse if there were no traffic in town?”

Cllr Donal Kenny stated to “Give it a chance. Let it be done.”

Roads Engineer Joanne Kehoe explained to the members that “we don’t have space for a roundabout as the road is to narrow at this junction.”

Cllr Craig Doyle stated on social media; “I’ve raised the issue of sight lines with the roads engineer at the district council meeting on Tuesday so she is aware of the issue. I agree it’s only sheer luck that there hasn’t been a crash there during the roadworks.”

The works are finished, and only the lights need fitting and road markings completed for the new traffic layout to be operational.

Peter Haughton, proprietor of Haughton School of Motoring in a social media comment stated; “The traffic lights are positioned after the bridge on the Gorey side. As we have witnessed, the traffic builds up out as far as the Maxol garage. When this traffic builds up, it creates a serious blind spot for traffic turning right from Gorey side of the Arklow road towards Ashdown Park Hotel and Coach Road.

“The traffic coming from the Arklow side has right of way when turning left onto Coach Road, but people ignore this and plough on through!, added the statement.

Driver behaviour and patience during busy times can significantly impact traffic flow through the town.