Council exploring all options to reduce Limerick suburb’s traffic flow

MORE frequent bus services between the city centre, University of Limerick (UL), Castletroy and Annacotty are among measures to cut congestion in the city’s eastern suburb.

A new park-and-ride facility and another project addressing congestion on the approach to the Mackey Roundabout will look to address the growing number of vehicles across the fastest-growing suburb of Limerick, council bosses have said.

It news comes after , local Fianna Fail councillor Joe Pond raised serious concerns over accidents across the Castletroy, Lisnagry and Annacotty area and urged local authority bosses to put in place measures.

“Over the past number of years, traffic congestion has increased dramatically in this area. We now have people waiting up to 40 minutes to get from the Golf Links Road to the old Dublin Road. Also there are long delays for traffic going in the other direction towards O’Shea’s to access the Old Tipperary Road.

"We have traffic building up on the hard shoulder of the M7 at the Mackey Roundabout waiting in line to try and get onto the Old Dublin Road. Surely, this alone needs attention,” the City East councillor said.

He saw a motion unanimously passed seeking the council to intervene at this month’s metropolitan meeting.

In a written response, senior engineer Hugh McGrath said the council is putting in place a number of initiatives to address this issue.

“We are progressing the planning stages of a project at junction 28 Mackey that will specifically look to address congestion on the approaches to this junction as well as facilitating a park-and-ride mobility hub near junction 28 in line with the Limerick Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS) to facilitate sustainable travel,” the council executive said.

As part of LSMATS, which its envisioned will transform transport provision around Limerick, a park-and-ride facility will be built there also.

Mr McGrath said there will be a 70% improvement in bus services.

“Limerick City East in particular will see significant improvements including increased routes and more frequent services to Castletroy, Annacotty and UL over the next two years. This will see 10 minute services to Annacotty and parts of Castletroy with the park-and-ride in Mackey ultimately expected to facilitate a terminal for these high frequency services,” he explained.

Traffic congestion has led to some drivers using alternative, once quiet roads to speed up their journey, Cllr Pond says.

“We now have rat runs on the Peafield Road, Mountshannon Road, Clyduff Road, Newtown Road and many more,” he said.

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The Annacotty man also read a letter from a constituent which detailed what they described as a “chilling example of the daily terror” they endure on Newtown Road.

The writers argue that the area has become a “breeding ground for disaster” for those ignoring the speed limit.

“The recent surge in housing developments has only exacerbated the problem, transforming our once tranquil street into a high-speed corridor for commuters,” the resident added.

“The council cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this epidemic of speed,” they concluded.