Rathoath Road ‘safety hazard’ and needs upgrades, councillor says

Sections of the Rathoath Road in north Dublin are a health and safety hazard and should urgently be upgraded, local Sinn Fein councillor Anthony Connaghan says.

Connaghan says that the section of the road between Rathoath Avenue and Westwood Road is in poor condition and is not safe for pedestrians or cyclists to use.

“There are no footpaths or cycle lanes and this section of road poses a huge danger for local residents and children,” he says.

“One side of the road has broken and shoddy palisade fencing and the opposite side has no proper boundary and is a magnet for litter.”

At a recent area committee meeting, councillors were presented with a report detailing the interim walking scheme between Rathoath Road and Cappagh Road.

However, the scheme has been condemned by some councillors for re-routing cycling and pedestrians through residential areas.

“I strongly criticized the proposals put forward for this section of road,” Connaghan says.

“The proposals suggest routing cycle and pedestrian traffic through housing estates instead of on the main road which is the most direct route.

“I have been calling for action on this section of road for a number of years,” he says.

Back in April, Connaghan tabled a motion with Dublin City Council calling on the local authority to upgrade the road.

During the meeting, Connghan said “the edge of the road is crumbling on both sides,” and he had received correspondence from various groups of local residents complaining about the safety of the road.

The motion was passed by councillors but little progress has been made since.

Dublin City Council says the road may be upgraded in the future but has not committed to a timetable for the works or revealed what they will consist of.

“Dublin City Council have said that the concerns over this dangerous section may be addressed sometime in the future when a more permanent scheme is put in place,” Connaghan says.

“However, DCC were not in a position to give a timeline as to when this may occur.

“I have asked the council to prioritise this section of road as it currently resembles a back road in the developing world and needs to be urgently upgraded to give the local community safe access to local amenities,” he says.