By Michelle Crean

Killarney town centre residents are pleading with motorists to slow down and to stop using their road as a shortcut as they fear someone will be killed or seriously injured.

On Friday last the junction from St Anne's Road onto O'Sullivan's Place was opened after works were carried out to change the road layout.

Once a two way road which was used as a shortcut by motorists when town traffic was extremely busy - there's now a new system in place - but residents say motorists continue to ignore the new signs.

For years they have fought for safer traffic management and thanks to Kerry County Council they have finally got it - but motorists are not complying - they say.

With a new 'No Entry' sign painted on the road and new signs up - they say motorists are continuing to use the road when in a hurry - describing it as a "highway".

"The new junction layout is not being adhered to," resident Louis O'Donoghue explained to the Killarney Advertiser.

"The new layout means that traffic can no longer enter off St Anne's Road which they have been using as a shortcut when traffic is busy. We have fought for something like this to be done for years in order to protect the residents both young and old from the cars that travel at speed outside our front doors. Unfortunately, the new layout and no entry signs are not being adhered to and traffic is still using the street like a highway breaking the rules of the road by breaking a no entry sign," he said.

"This constantly happens when traffic is backed up on St Anne's Road. Residents are highly frustrated with this and fear that someone will be seriously injured or worse by these cars."

Anne Mulligan added that "it's an accident waiting to happen".

Kieran Fogarty said cars are also in a hurry when driving through their road.

"Part of the problem is that many of the cars are in a rush for some reason or other."

Anne O'Shea told the Killarney Advertiser that they're thankful to the Council for the work but further work needs to be done.

"For 40 years we have been waiting. We're thankful to the Council but we've only got so far there's still some tweeking to do."