‘I take my life in my hands’ on the Diamond

Motorists in Belturbet, who park on the Diamond area, “are taking their life in their hands” a recent meeting of the Cavan Belturbet Municipal District Meeting heard.
The lack of adequate safe parking spaces on the Diamond area in Belturbet was highlighted at the monthly meeting in Ballyconnell by the chair of the MD, Cllr Peter McVitty (FG).
He pointed that there are cars parked very far out on the road and, when vehicles come up the hill in Bridge Street, they are often confronted by cars either stopped or pulling out into their path. 
He pointed out that when vehicles, particularly lorries, travel up that hill and turn the corner, there is little visibility and distance to quickly adjust to vehicles emerging into their path. “I am calling for the realignment of the present layout of the Diamond area to address this dangerous situation. I have been also calling for the provision of a bus shelter in close proximity to that location. I would suggest that the bus shelter facility should be included in the new layout of this important location in the town,” said Cllr McVitty.
He also pointed out that the road leading down to St Bricin’s College is very narrow.
“I am not an engineer, but I would suggest that this location should be looked at immediately and ascertain how it can be all realigned,” said Cllr McVitty.
Cavan County Council’s senior executive engineer, Derry Scanlon, committed to examine the scene.

‘Waste of space’
One resident pointed out: “When I park outside the butchers, effectively my car is out on the middle of the Diamond. I take my life in my hands, when pulling out, because I can’t join the traffic gradually. I try and listen, but it is impossible to know if there is a vehicle coming up Bridge Street at high speed. Most of the paved area is a waste of space and is constantly covered in chewing gum and cigarette butts. I would suggest putting in normal footpath like it was 25 years ago and mark out proper parking spaces, to allow graduated merging into traffic.”
The current situation contrasts with the setting some 20 years ago when competitions during the annual Festival of the Erne. Today, there is rarely a vacant parking space left and, frequently, cars are parked in a precarious position on the corner leading down to St Bricin’s College.