Council and DRD in row over congestion claims

Council and DRD in row over congestion claims

3 April 2013

THE Roads Service has vehemently rejected a claim that it’s not serious about tackling traffic congestion in Downpatrick town centre.

The rejection comes after Down councillor Cadogan Enright claimed the organisation’s most senior official in Down District said there was “no significant congestion problem” in the town.

Councillor Enright claimed principal engineer Roger Morgan made the assertion during a recent meeting with local politicians about the future development of the town centre. The claim has been denied.

Councillor Enright said every study on Downpatrick over the past decade has highlighted the congestion issue.

Councillor Enright said the notion that Downpatrick does not have a congestion problem may explain why there has been a failure by the Roads Service to advance previously identified schemes to deal with the issue.

“Study after study has confirmed the inability of the town’s roads infrastructure to support significant economic development or even serve the needs of the existing residents,” he said.

Councillor Enright said in the wake of the alleged comments by the district’s roads chief, Down Council is seeking an urgent meeting with the Department for Regional Development’s (DRD) Permanent Secretary.

He argued the comment represents an admission that the Roads Service is not serious about tackling the congestion problem in Downpatrick and that it’s senior officials do not see the traffic situation in the town as a problem at all.

Councillor Enright added: “This may explain why the Roads Service has failed to progress many of the major and minor schemes it has presented at its regular meetings with Down Council over the past six years.”

A Roads Service spokeswoman said it is aware of the traffic issues in Downpatrick and continues to seek improvements which will include new and large road schemes, junction improvements and other traffic management measures. She said all of these will require “significant funding and acceptance of change from the many different stakeholders.”

The spokeswoman said at the recent meeting in Downpatrick, the senior

roads official explained the town’s traffic issues “were not significantly different to that encountered in other similar sized towns.” She said the official indicated the Roads Service is fully aware of the traffic problems in Edward Street associated with the amalgamation of two local primary schools.

“The official explained that in light of the new administrative centre at the Downshire site and the opening of the new Downe Hospital, the Roads Service intended carrying out a traffic study of the Edward Street, John Street, Collins’ Corner, Ardglass Road and Killough Road to determine the most effective measures required to manage traffic in the area,” she continued.

“It remains the Roads Service plan to carry out an improvement scheme at Collins’ Corner in the current financial year, subject to successful acquisition of the required land.”

The spokeswoman said the Roads Service presented a traffic modelling study to local traders and councillors early last year, showing a proposed link road from Irish Street to St Patrick’s Avenue and the associated one-way system to be introduced in the town centre to assist traffic progression at a number of key junctions.

She added: “Department officials remain committed to addressing traffic matters within Downpatrick over the next few years as finance is made available and will continue to progress matters through the statutory processes.”