by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
TRAFFIC restrictions have been put in place on
Buncrana’s Cassie Road as Donegal County Council
carries out final surfacing works at the roundabout
between the Cassie and Rockytown Roads - part of the
town’s Inner Relief Road.
However, disquiet has been expressed by residents in
the Marian Park area about the effect increased
traffic volumes will have on their road. The road is
narrow and cannot accommodate the two-way flow of
traffic when residents park their cars outside their
homes leading to fears of a permanent bottleneck in
the estate.
“We’re concerned at the impact this will have in
what is a high density housing area,” local resident
Elizabeth O’Hare said. “There has been a huge
increase in traffic since the existing section of
the Inner Relief Road opened and with the proposed
new route going directly through our estate to the
Cassie Road we’re concerned at the impact the
completed road will have.”
Residents have also expressed concern at the lack of
provision for pedestrians and the five way junction
at the health centre end of the street. The are also
fearful about the impact that the new one-way system
will have on traffic through Marian Park.
Buncrana Town Council held a meeting with residents
in September and proposed an interim solution of
widening the Marian Park Road by using a green area
in front of the houses. However, residents strongly
opposed the solution and the Town Council has agreed
to provide traffic calming measures.
The Inner Relief Road has been in gestation since
1968 when it was first included in a draft
development plan for the town. It followed the route
of the old railway line from the Drift Inn to the
Cassie Road and would have gone through part of
Maginn Park. However, over the years planning
permission has been granted to homes and other
developments along that route.
“The simple fact is that the original route is the
one they should have followed. That was the sensible
and safest route, but by granting permission to all
those houses and other developments, the council has
made a mess of it,” Ms O’Hare added.
Donegal County Council consulted with residents of
the Sliabh Sneachta, Páirc Mór and Dún an Grianán
housing estates along the route, and have agreed to
implement traffic calming measures while undertaking
to monitor traffic volumes, types and speeds after
the road has opened. They say they will do the same
at Marian Park.
Owing to the works that started on the roundabout on
Tuesday this week, through-traffic on the Cassie
Road will be restricted and diversions will be in
place via Ardravan Road and Maginn Avenue. Access to
Rockytown Road will be maintained from the Cockhill
Road side only.
Some €825,000 was set aside by Donegal County
Council for the Inner Relief Road in 2009 and works
have been carried out on the aforementioned
roundabout, and the section from Ferris Lane to
Cassie Road. It is expected that the road will be
opened to traffic later this month. |
