Angry Carrickane Residents want a footpath now. Back (from left): Liam de Paor, Seamus McConnon, Brendan Nelligan, Maria de Paor and Paddy Grogan; middle, Uzma Butt, Amna Kieran, Patricia McConnon, Martin Maguire, Mary Crossan, Aiden Crossan and Patricia Masterson, chairperson of the Carrickane Resi

Act now before someone is killed - Carrickane residents

Sean McMahon

Published: Wed 20 Apr 2016, 3:24 PM

Loads of talk in Council Chambers but no action on a new footpath for the Loreto Road has prompted angry Carrickane Residents to demand action now before someone is killed. The council, meanwhile, has said that some works will take place at the location later in the year, though the type of pedestrian facility has yet to be agreed.

It is the main route in Cavan Town for ambulances to the hospital, school buses going to and from Loreto College, lorries going to the mart and numerous factories and other businesses, residents told the Celt this week.
They describe the busy road there as narrow and winding and a dangerous stretch.
Students can’t walk or cycle in safety to Loreto College from the golf course end of the road; while pupils coming from the old Cavan Road direction can walk to school. The situation has also prompted pupils in the CSP class to do a project on the requirement for the provision of the footpath.
The chairperson of the Carrickane Residents Association, Patricia Masterson told The Anglo-Celt that they want the footpath extended along the road from the existing footpath at Loreto College.
“Money has been earmarked under the Smarter Travel Get Fit European Initiative and the money is supposed to be allocated to this project alone and nothing else and that is over a year ago now,” said Ms Masterson.
The work, she says, should be undertaken during the school holidays when there would be no school traffic using the road.
The footpath, residents believe, should run right up to the roundabout at the Golf Course corner, where they point out the existing path is also in a poor state of repair.
“We are very agitated about the whole thing now,” said an irate Patricia Masterson.

Council response

Contact about the issue, a spokesperson for Cavan County Council issued the following statement:

“The plan to provide an extension to the pedestrian facilities at Loreto Road forms part of the Active Travel Towns Programme for Cavan Town with Loreto Road being the final phase. This overall project has experienced delays and it is now envisages that Loreto Road works will take place in late 2016. The type of pedestrian facility to be provided has yet to be agreed.”