This article is from page 9 of the 2013-01-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
ENNIS Town Council says it is working on a solution to traffic problems that have arisen following the installation of new traffic lights in the town centre.
Lights were installed at Station Road and Clare Road as part of works on the € 2.5 million Ennis inner relief road.
Concerns have been raised over the impact traffic lights on the Clare Road have had on traffic flows through Ennis.
The issue was raised at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council. According to Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind), the lights lead to major traffic jams on the Mill Road and Clare Road during the Christmas period.
Traffic lights on the Clare Road were down for a number of days during December following a fault in the electrical control unit.
Cllr Neylon told the meeting that traffic flowed more freely when the lights were down.
Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said a filter lane is required on Station Road to allow cars to turn into Dunnes Stores.
Cllr Neylon said a similar system is also required to improve traffic flow on the Clare Road. Cllr Neylon urged the council to consider switching off the lights until new road markings are put in place.
Officials from Ennis Town Council are due to meet this week with the company that designed the traffic lights in order to discuss issues that have arisen with the system.
Town Engineer Eamon O’Dea yesterday acknowledged problems had emerged as a result of the new system.
He said difficulties have arisen at non-peak traffic periods. Mr O’Dea explained that drivers approaching traffic lights sometimes do not drive over underground sensor lines, a mechanism that sends a message to the lights to change colour.
He told the meeting that the council are addressing sequencing problems in order to improve traffic flows on the Clare Road.