Kilkenny County Council has drafted a road safety plan with the intention of creating a new one-way system in Bridge Street. This change would also affect all of the main streets in the town centre – Bridge Street, Green Street, Mill Street, and West Street.
The new road safety scheme proposes that Bridge Street would become a one-way street in a north-south direction, with additional changes including the prioritisation of traffic flow at the crossroads junction for Mill Street/West Street and Green Street/Bridge Street.
This new plan was discussed at a recent meeting of Callan/Thomastown Municipal District. The benefits of the scheme include that it is a low-cost scheme while allowing additional space for pedestrians and cyclists.
While some welcomed the proposals many people in Callan have expressed dissatisfaction with the one-way proposal. They feel that if the ongoing illegal parking was addressed in Bridge Street instead, this would greatly improve the traffic flow without the need to inconvenience town residents with the implementation of this new scheme.
Illegal parking on double yellow lines currently takes place on a daily basis, making one footpath almost entirely inaccessible in Upper Bridge Street to pedestrians and results in traffic problems between the cross junction and the bridge.
Concerns have been previously raised by town residents with Kilkenny County Council about illegal and dangerous parking in Bridge Street and how this impacts pedestrians, in particular, parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and also by forcing children and parents out onto the road when using the street.
Prior to the implementation of any changes, a public consultation will be made available for a period of time. Details will be published on VisitCallan.ie once they become available.
Funding for this scheme is under the Town and Village Renewal special
application for accelerated measures in response to COVID-19, and can be implemented on a trial basis if the funding application is successful.
Concerns have also been raised in relation to speeding and inquiries were made as to whether speed ramps will be included in the new safety plan.
It was suggested that by narrowing the carriageway it will lend itself to slower traffic. It was also advised that the inclusion of speed ramps can cause unnecessary noise on streets which can have a negative impact on residents.
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