Posted online: Sep 20th, 2011

There have been calls for traffic calming measures near Carraig Bridge in Bridgend, following a number of road accidents at the location in recent years.
Speaking at last Tuesday’s Inishowen Electoral Area meeting in Carndonagh, Cllr John Ryan said Gardai accident figures revealed there was a “high proportion” of accidents in the area – the most recent of which occurred a week previous.
The busy minor road runs from Killea and passes a number of housing estates and a national school in Bridgend before entering on to the main Derry to Buncrana road.
Cllr Ryan said the calming measures might not need to be extensive but “something needs to be done.”
He said: “There has been a series of accidents there and if you look at the accident figures from the Gardai there is a high proportion at that location.
“We need to do something with this road because you’re driving along and all of a sudden you’re in the village, which has greatly extended over the past number of years.
“It might not take an awful lot of work and there is already some traffic calming measures in place because the school is there. But, if we can do something with the road above – even put in that new coloured tar or put rumble strips on place – to slow down vehicles. A child was knocked down there a few years ago and thankfully they made a full recovery. This road needs seen to.”
Donegal County Council Roads and Transportation Services Executive Engineer Charlie Kerr told Cllr Ryan that engineer Trevor Gordon had inspected the site and acknowledged there had been a “few incidents lately relating to speed.”
He outlined how motorists pass the traffic calming gateway before entering the narrow section of road but “do some do not slow down sufficiently” and “the Gardai have been informed.”
Mr Kerr added that the Council was inspecting further methods to slow traffic down, “such as lining etc” and they may be able to progress this further through discretionary funding.