Two more collisions at Oberstown Cross
Utter frustration at the delay in implementing desperately needed traffic calming measures at Oberstown Cross in Skyrne has been vented by Meath East TD and local resident Darren O'Rourke who said it is “minor miracle that there hasn't been a fatality there”.
His comments come after two more collisions occurred in the past week at what Deputy O'Rourke has called the “most dangerous junction in Co Meath.”
On Wednesday of last week, a van and car collided at the crossroads but this time luckily there were no serious injuries reported. On Friday, there was a second minor incident, where a car is understood to have struck a wall.
In recent months, there was a serious collision that resulted in a tractor overturning. Locals say that accidents and near misses are happening every other week at the crossroads despite some measures being implemented including the cutting back of trees at the junction and flashing signs.
Many of the accidents over the years have been resulted from cars approaching from the Ratoath road failing to stop.
Ramps are due to be installed by Meath County Council as part of improvement works but this work is still awaited and Deputy O'Rourke says there is something wrong with the system if this work can't be prioritised.
"It is incredibly frustrating the rate of progress from Meath County Council on this. From speaking to my colleague Aisling O'Neill, it came up at a recent MD meeting that the project has gone out for tender. It really is an incredibly slow rate of progress on essential upgrade works. It is ramps and public lighting - I wouldn't have thought that to be an incredible feat of engineering that it could take that long.
"This has been an issue for years and there have been a number of serious accidents last Winter and also many near misses and lucky escapes and almost miracles in some cases."
He also said that speed is an issue on the road and that drivers are not paying enough attention.
"Drivers have responsibilities too and people are getting distracted and coming through the junction. It is a minor miracle that there hasn't been a fatality. It is the most dangerous junction in Co Meath with the amount of accidents."
Deputy O'Rourke said it is clear the measures undertaken to date have been insufficient and that more significant intervention is needed.
Meath County Council's Road Safety Officer Mick Finnegan said the Council is aware of a number of incidents at the cross recently and that plans are in place to install ramps on the Ratoath Road and the other approach road coming from the Hill of Skyrne.
"The trees were cut back a couple of months ago on the Ratoath Road. There are flashing lights on the signage and adequate road markings and signage but for whatever reason, accidents continue to happen there," he said.
A statement from Meath Co Council said it was currently tendering for a contractor to construct the proposed safety measures including the provision of kerbing, public lighting and ramps. “A definitive programme for the works will be available when the successful contractor is appointed.”