Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2004
265 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the urgent need for a public inquiry, including a safety audit, regarding the construction of the Piltown-Fiddown bypass, County Kilkenny, in view of the number of accidents at this location. [19743/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority and the local authority concerned, in this case, Kilkenny County Council.
With regard to the Piltown-Fiddown bypass, I understand from the NRA that the scheme was opened to traffic in February 2002 and involved the realignment of 9.3 km of single carriageway, bypassing Piltown and Fiddown. The project contains three road bridges and one railway bridge and 13 junctions to cater for traffic using local roads. The scheme was constructed in accordance with applicable design standards for national roads.
Design standards for national roads are kept under review by the NRA and are updated, as appropriate, at intervals. The current design standards were comprehensively reviewed and updated in 2000. The Piltown-Fiddown scheme, which had been planned and approved prior to publication of these standards, was reviewed in the light of the updated standards to assess the need for incorporation of ghost islands. The latest standards require that consideration be given to providing such islands in circumstances where minor road traffic flows exceed 500 annual average daily traffic or where other conditions so warrant. Following a review of the junctions on the Piltown-Fiddown bypass ghost islands were provided at Owning Road and Rathmore Road.
At-grade road junctions such as those on the Piltown-Fiddown scheme are a common feature of the road network throughout the country. Road users must exercise due care and caution when approaching or using such junctions. Road design standards seek to reduce the risk of accidents at such locations and generally provide for measures to improve definition in an effort to enhance safety.
Four fatalities have occurred on the bypass since 2002. I understand that driver behaviour was a contributory factor in these cases and that a truck driver has been charged with dangerous driving in connection with the fatal accident on 18 June 2004. I also understand that specific junction design features and the absence of ghost islands at certain junctions is not regarded by the NRA to have been a significant contributory factor in the case of the fatalities that have occurred having regard to the particular circumstances involved in each case.
The NRA is, however, arranging to review the safety situation on the bypass. As part of this process, the NRA will liaise closely with the Garda Síochána and Kilkenny County Council and will revisit accident reports as part of the effort to identify possible additional measures that could further reduce the risk of accidents attributable to road design.
