Right-hand turn lane sought for ‘death trap’ junction

A location on the N3 outside Cavan Town, the scene of several serious traffic accident in recent years, is the subject of a survey that may lead to a right-hand turn being installed for motorists.

The junction at Drumsillagh, near the village of Butlersbridge, and before the N3 Belturbet bypass begins, was described as a “death trap” at last week's Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District meeting.

Chair of the MD, Independent Cllr Brendan Fay, made the comments, specifically for drivers looking to enter the L1551 on approach from Belturbet towards Cavan Town.

He also pointed out issues at junctions at Lower Putighan and at Annagh.

His concerns regarding the Drumsillagh junction were shared by Fine Gael's Madeleine Argue, who said she had been getting representations about it for years. At an MD meeting as far back as February 2018, Cllr Argue highlighted the issue, only to be told that it was not considered a “priority”.

Just days later a major crash occurred at the junction when a lorry and trailer rear-ended a tractor turning. Such was the extent of the accident, a unit of the emergency air ambulance was flown in to assist paramedics working on the ground. The driver of the truck, aged in his 40s, was airlifted to Tallaght Hospital in Dublin.

The driver of the tractor, also aged in his 40s, was taken by ambulance to Cavan General Hospital.

The truck driver, who suffered life-changing leg injuries, was later convicted in relation to the incident before a sitting of Cavan District Court.

“This comes up time and time again,” grumbled Peter McVitty (FG), who said that, since the bypass had opened, there had been accidents of various severity.

He stated that concerns about the junction were also raised at a meeting with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), but nothing came from that.

Cllrs Patricia Walsh, Sean Smith and John Paul Feeley (FF) supported the calls for something to be done.

But despite the consternation, there was “good news”, reported senior area engineer, Paul Mulligan.

He said that previously the Drumsillagh junction had failed to meet the required criteria for a right had turn, but this had since changed, and the council's road design team had put together a submission for the works.

“The road design team have done all they have to to get the job approved,” said Mr Mulligan, who explained that the provision of a turning lane would eat into the area currently encompassed as part of the hard shoulder.

But he reminded that driver behaviour had an important part to play, stating that a turning lane would “not solve all problems”.