No barriers for R200

Road safety measures for the Derrynacreeve to Glangevlin Road (R200) will not be carried out this year despite the fact that there has been an increase in traffic, Cavan County Council was told on Monday. West Cavan councillors spoke on a motion put forward by Blacklion representative John Paul Feeley calling for the provision of safety measures to be carried out to the road as a matter of urgency. Cllr. Feeley said that the R200 had a high level of traffic and there was a need for safety measures to be installed. "It is the main road linking Blacklion, Glangevlin and Dowra to the rest of the county," he stated. "There are huge drops on either side of the road at various locations and crash barriers will have to be installed," he added. Cllr. Peter McVitty pointed out that with the new Geopark there would be an increase in traffic using the road. "Hedges must be kept cut back," he suggested. The Bawnboy native claimed there were no speed limit signs from Dowra to Glangevlin. It was a vast area from the Ballinamore Road to Blacklion and Dowra, he said. Cllr. Sean Smith agreed that the council had to give speed measures top priority while Cllr. Damien Brady described the road as treacherous, especially during winter. Cllr. Brady went on to state that the Bawnboy to Swanlinbar road was also narrow, with just enough room for two lorries to pass. Some lorries had toppled over because there was no verge and the Donegal express overturned with 35 people on board but luckily no one was injured. Director of services Joe McLoughlin informed the meeting that roads were identified in terms of top priority. A number of factors came into play when establishing which roads were a priority, including accident history, severe accidents and accident reduction, he said. At the moment the R200 was just one of 52 sites around the country that were being examined. The council had submitted its top 20 and the R200 was not in it. The estimated cost of the works on the R200 was €30,000 and they could not do it this year, he stated. "We can re-submit it for next year and we will do so," said the director of service, who indicated that the council would have a look at the speed limit and the signs as well.