Fresh bid to solve traffic congestion

Fresh bid to solve traffic congestion

28 August 2019

ROADS officials have this week been urged to finally crack town centre traffic congestion in Downpatrick.

Senior engineers from the Department for Infrastructure have been invited to sit down with local councillors to discuss the issue and look at innovative ways of addressing a problem which many believe is impacting on the town’s economy.

A meeting with engineers is part of a two-pronged approach suggested by local councillor Dermot Curran, who also wants MLAs to take up the mantle and raise the issue with the government department’s permanent secretary.

The councillor is concerned that while congestion problems in other major towns across the country have been addressed, there has been no significant progress in Downpatrick.

Roads officials have come up with what has been described as a short, medium and long term strategy to deal with the congestion issue. Work to widen Fountain Street to provide on-street parking and traffic calming measures has already been completed, while a £300,000 project at Collins’ Corner is currently underway. 

Roads officials have previously suggested the introduction of a one-way system but little or nor progress appears to have been made on this particular scheme.

While pleased with the work in Fountain Street and Collins’ Corner, Cllr Curran believes they will not have a positive impact on town centre congestion, prompting his call to meet with senior roads engineers. He is also concerned that no progress is being made to tackle a congestion and road safety issue at Edward Street in the town.

His call for talks to discuss solutions to town centre congestion came ahead of a special meeting between councillors and roads officials last night when the Department of Infrastructure presented its annual report which details work that has already been completed on various schemes and what projects are in the pipeline.

Cllr Curran said the annual report contained no “concrete proposals” for addressing town centre congestion, prompting his call to meet with engineers.

“A proposed road between Irish Street and St Patrick’s Avenue has been shelved due to the cost involved and the minimal impact it would have on tackling congestion,” he said. “That is why we need to get round the table and look at all options moving forward.

“Can lessons be learned from other towns which experienced similar problems or what about changing the sequencing of traffic lights?” he asked. 

“It has been said many times that there is no quick fix solution to Downpatrick’s congestion problem and while the layout of the town may pose problems for engineers, surely it is time for some innovative thinking? 

“All the key players need to get together as years of inaction has exacerbated the congestion nightmare faced by residents, businesses and visitors.”

Cllr Curran says the time has come to “grasp the congestion nettle” with the onus on roads officials to finally deliver by taking a critical look at the problems.

“We need to take a critical look at the problem and come up with ideas on the way forward. I suspect that the congestion issue that we have in Downpatrick would not be allowed to go unaddressed in any other major town in the country. We have had numerous reports on the way forward but what people, in particular those in the business community what to see, is action,” he continued.

“Downpatrick councillors need to join forces and sit down with roads engineers to look at what can be done. Apart from the development of the Saul Way link road, there has been no major traffic development in Downpatrick town centre for decades.

“The congestion problem is getting worse and if the ambitious plans to redevelop the former Irish Street police station base and adjoining buildings are to be a success and attract new commercial and private development, we need to solve the traffic problem.”

Cllr Curran added: “The congestion is driving shoppers out of the town and we need to arrest this decline. To achieve this, I believe that we need a brainstorming sessions to come up with a new blueprint on the way forward. There must be an end to a congestion problem blighting the local economy.”