Road safety concerns around Coney Island

Road safety concerns around Coney Island

3 August 2016

DOWNPATRICK councillor Naomi Bailie has called on Transport NI to assess the safety of the main road through Coney Island. 

The Sinn Fein councillor said in recent years the hamlet has grown significantly in size and population and is home to one of the busiest caravan parks in the district. 

“Visitors along the Lecale Coastline are growing year on year and that’s evidenced in the increasing numbers now using the Coney Island Caravan Park,” she said.

“This park is one of very few outlets offering bed space in the Downpatrick and Lecale area and so they are providing a much needed service to visitors to our district.”

Ms Bailie said there is a real drive to put the region on the international tourism map and provide first class visitor experiences, but she said safety is paramount to that. 

“Regularly I meet groups of visitors walking along this main route into either Killough or Ardglass. The road is narrow and with poor visibility and sight lines and I am concerned that it is extremely dangerous for pedestrians,” said Ms Bailie.

“That said, these pedestrians have no other option at present and I’ve asked Transport NI to assess the safety of the road with a view to approving my request for additional safety measures including signage and the inclusion of a footpath from Killough to Ardglass, linking these two communities in close proximity. 

“I have also asked that the area be reclassified as a 30mph zone to ensure that homeowners and visitors are safer when forced to walk along this narrow and dangerous stretch of road.”