Renewed calls for safety measures in Limerick area where student lost his life
A COUNCILLOR is to lobby Limerick local authority bosses to make the area where a student tragically lost his life safer.
Cards and floral tributes remain at a bus stop at the Dublin Road at Castletroy, where Joe Drennan, 21, who was studying journalism at University of Limerick was tragically killed.
He had been waiting for a bus to the city at that very spot after completing a Friday night shift in the nearby La Cucina restaurant.
In the wake of this tragedy, Labour Councillor Elena Secas renewed her campaign to make the pavement wider for pedestrians and those waiting on transport.
“It’s wrong. We shouldn’t have to wait for something to happen to address an issue, especially when it comes to safety. It’s really sad we did not do something before. It is a very difficult place to wait for a bus,” she said.
When Cllr Secas originally raised the issue with the local authority executive, she says she was told there was little they could do about it.
“They narrowed the footpath to accommodate the bus lane there. The footpath as it is, is very narrow. You cannot walk on it. So I asked them if there was any possibility for it to be widened,” she said.
“They came back to me with a response, but it was around there being nothing they can do about it. They said there is a wide footpath on the other side that people could use.”
Following the death of Joe, who was originally from Co Laois, Cllr Secas now expects a fresh look to be taken.
“I’ve asked them to look again at the footpath at the bus stop and make it safe. Add public lights and look at adding some kind of railing for people waiting for the bus,” said the City East councillor.
She says she expects council officials to now make it a priority given the hit-and-run last month.
“I would expect Council to be more proactive in many instances where safety is concerned. Unfortunately this does not always happen,” she added.
Having spoken with the local authority’s roads department, Cllr Secas says she will keep an eye on what is planned.
She says based on the reply she receives from staff, she will then decide what to do.
It’s possible she might bring the issue up in the form of a resolution at a future Limerick City and County Council meeting to force improvements.