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Locals fear deaths at accident black spot

Friday, 20 June 2008

NORTHSIDERS staged an angry protest last week to highlight the worrying number of accidents that have occurred on a local road.
A startling number of pedestrians have been knocked down on Hollytree Terrace in Ballymun, according to local residents.
Clare Whelan described how she was knocked down while crossing the road with her guide dog.
“I had almost reached the path when a car came around the corner and hit me,” she told Northside People.
“I was thrown up into the air so I was incredibly lucky to escape with just cracked ribs and a bang on my head. I crossed the road at a point where those who trained the guide dog considered to be the safest.”
She added: “I’m terrified to cross the road alone ever since I was hit so I just wait until a passerby can help me across safely.”
According to Ms Whelan, the traffic volumes on the road have increased significantly.
“It’s getting too close for comfort now,” she said. “Is the council waiting for someone to get killed before the decide to do something about this?”
Last Friday’s protest march, which brought the Ballymun area to a standstill, was the second demonstration in two weeks.
Ballymun locals such as Ms Whelan are calling for traffic measures to be immediately implemented.
Three children were knocked down on the road in the space of two weeks recently, according to local resident Adrienne Kerins.
“Ironically, about one hour after our first protest wrapped up another young child was knocked down on Hollytree Terrace Road,” she said.
She added: “The traffic is really heavy along the road with people traveling to Charlestown Shopping Centre and down to Finglas.”
One four-year-old was knocked down on Hollytree Terrace just two weeks ago.
“The road is really very dangerous,” his mother told Northside People.
“There isn’t much between the houses and the road. One minute he was sitting in the garden playing and the next minute he had been struck by a car. It was terrifying.”
The little boy broke his leg and his collarbone in the accident.
“He had to get surgery on his leg as the bone pretty much snapped in half,” his mother explained. “I really think there should be speed bumps placed on the road to slow the cars down.”
According to local councillor Andrew Montague (Lab), the road consists of a two kilometre stretch without a single pedestrian crossing.
“Locals need a safe place to cross the road or there should at least be speed ramps put down,” he said.
“It has always been a through road with lots of twists and turns so it seems obvious that some traffic claming measures would be needed.”
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said the matter had been raised at a recent meeting of the Safer Ballymun Forum.
“That piece of roadway has a bus route along it which means that we cannot put down ramps,” the spokesperson said.
“However, we are considering putting down junction platforms to curtail traffic coming onto Hollytree Terrace from other roads.
“The issue has been looked at repeatedly by our traffic department which is due to report back to the forum again in the coming weeks.”

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