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Councillor calls on Council to extend crossing time

Killarney locals have expressed their concerns saying one particular pedestrian crossing doesn’t allow them time to cross a busy road safely.
Locals have called on Cllr Michael Gleeson to ask the Council to remedy the High Street pedestrian crossing – saying they’re in danger trying to get across in time as the 'Greenperson' walk time is too short.
Pedestrians say the time allowed to cross the road from the High Street car park side to Park Place apartments car park isn’t sufficient – especially for the elderly and parents with young children.
Councillor Gleeson raised the issue at last week’s Killarney Municipal District meeting asking that it be addressed urgently.
“Some people are finding it difficult to cross at this junction and have relocated to the library crossing,” Cllr Gleeson told the Killarney Advertiser this week.
“It doesn’t allow people to cross sufficiently. People say they feel in danger crossing due to the time constraint.”
However, when the pedestrian crossing was observed many times by the Killarney Advertiser just after noon on Thursday there seemed to be an inconsistency with the crossing time allowed.
Using a stop watch, and crossing beside a mother with young children, one walking beside her, the greenman lasted for just five seconds. Further consecutive timings resulted in just over 20 seconds, and finally, just before leaving the last timing was again just five seconds – meaning there could be a fault there.
Councillor Gleeson wants the crossing to be looked at urgently saying that this particular area of the town is set to get busier with a new road planned nearby.
“KCC are in negotiations with three owners with a view to acquiring the properties necessary to allow for development of a new road from Bohorreengowan to High Street.
“That will bring more traffic onto this junction, so it’s imperative that all pedestrian crossings be reviewed to ensure safety for all those trying to cross at all controlled pedestrian crossings at the top of High Street car park.”
In their reply, Kerry County Council said that the Council designed and built the junction and pedestrian crossing in accordance with Transport Infrastructure Ireland
(TII) standards.
‘The Council has again inspected and reviewed the crossing. When designed and built the crossing allowed for universal access across the junction. The Council is now proposing to trial a Pedestrian Countdown Timer in order to assist pedestrians across the junction’.