RESIDENTS near a Ballineen junction have taken to cutting back hedges themselves to improve sight-lines to allow traffic safely join a much busier road, a councillor has claimed.
At a recent meeting of the Municipal District of West Cork, Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) raised a motion calling on the council to undertake a review of the Idle Bridge junction, which is on the R586 near the village of Ballineen.
‘Sight-lines exiting this junction onto the main R586 are quite difficult and particularly in summertime when the vegetation is at its peak and the verges are overgrown,’ said Cllr Hurley.
‘It’s in the middle of a busy road and there have been a number of minor accidents there and I really feel the whole junction needs to be looked at. It needs to be re-aligned and improve the road markings. There should be a right-turn off box there too,’ said Cllr Hurley.
Cllr Deirdre Kelly (FF) fully supported the motion and said that some residents have even gone out to cut back the hedges themselves, something she said councillors wouldn’t be encouraging members of the public to do but it highlights how blind the junction is.
Her colleague, Cllr Joe Carroll said he has been getting the same number of complaints from locals in the area.
‘It’s a very blind junction and a very fast road and it certainly needs attention as I’ve seen people trying to come out there and I have found myself in the same predicament sometimes,’ said Cllr Carroll.
Senior executive engineer John Ahern said they will review the road markings and the signage at the junction but added that the sight-lines and possible physical works there would be a much bigger job.
