Regional road safety initiative in local division
Cavan, Monaghan, and Louth County Councils are to partner in a new regional road safety initiative.
The joint undertaking will have its emphasis on engineering, enforcement and education, Chief Executive Robert Burns told Monday’s meeting of the Monaghan local authority.
Mr Burns said he had reached out to his counterpart in Cavan County Council to widen their road safety awareness education initiatives and had also made contact with Louth County Council, with whom Monaghan shared a Road Safety Officer.
The Chief Executive added that it was planned to have discussions between the three local authorities and An Garda Síochána, who had a divisional policing plan in operation for the three counties.
“We are hoping to have a more impactful campaign on a regional basis,” Mr Burns stated.
Speed limits
Last week’s meeting also received a briefing on proposed speed limit changes on the national road network in County Monaghan.
The changes, approved at the meeting, will see the 60km/h limit operating on the road between the Corlatt roundabout and the Combilift premises in Monaghan Town commence at an earlier point on the Monaghan by-pass. A change in the area of the Tullyvin roundabout in Castleblayney will see the introduction of a transition zone so speed will reduce from 80km/h to 60km/h and then drop to 50km/h going through the roundabout.
In the Smithboro area, the 50km/h limit is to be moved a greater distance away from the Maple Close housing development to allow 80km/h traffic a greater slowing down distance before entering a built-up area.
Chair of the Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Transport, Cllr Raymond Aughey (FF) said the proposed changes had been brought before the county’s three Municipal Districts and had gone through a public consultation process. He pointed out that a review was ongoing of speed limits in the vicinity of schools in the county.
“We can make recommendations and do our best for our constituents,” Cllr Aughey stated, “but we need people to take on board the reasons why these speed limits are being brought in. If everyone minded their manners with speed, councillors would not be getting the volume of representations on this issue we are receiving.
“We need buy-in from the public.”
Cllr Seamus Treanor (Independent) made a case for the reduction of the speed limit to 60km/h on the road passing Monaghan Collegiate School in the Corlatt area of Monaghan Town.
“Trucks from Donegal, as soon as they turn onto the road for Castleshane, put their boots to the board going past the school,” Cllr Treanor claimed.
Sinn Féin’s Noel Keelan said enforcement was the big problem in relation to speeding on their roads. He referred to a report before the meeting indicating that the number of road traffic accidents attended by the Monaghan Fire Service had increased by 25% in 2025.
“That tells all of us that there is a serious issue with speeding on our roads,” Cllr Keelan remarked.
Cllr Sinéad Flynn (SF) said enforcement must be stepped up. Motorists have a responsibility to mind their speed and be conscious of cyclists and pedestrians.
Her colleague Pat Treanor (SF) called for consultation to take place with the local community on the provision of a pedestrian crossing on the Cavan Road in Clones in the area of the Ulster Canal Marina.