Together with other communities in North Clare, Kilfenora residents are being consulted on road safety. A short questionnaire prepared by Kilfenora Development Community Group can be accessed and downloaded here. The reason for this consultation is simple.
• Problems with traffic speeds and volume, including inappropriate use of small roads because of GPS/Google, are now widely observed in and around Kilfenora, as elsewhere in the Burren area.
• Kilfenora Development Community Group asked Clare CoCo in 2020/1 to make improvements in and round Kilfenora – eg to slow down traffic entering the village – and to create safer spaces on the village outskirts by moving the speed limit signs. A replacement for the Failte Kilfenora sign destroyed by speeding joy riders was also requested. No positive response was received. Other villages have experienced similar difficulties in getting safety concerns addressed.
• The tragic death of Jerry O’Connor in Ballyvaughan has resulted in public meetings – reported on nationally – that have expressed extreme frustration at the lack of action on safety concerns that have been voiced over the last 15 years, and which have become more pressing as a result of increased tourism volumes associated with the Cliffs of Moher.
Public representatives at these meetings – TDs, Senators, Councillors – are now promising that real change must happen. As it happens there is a requirement for a 5 yearly road safety review to be conducted in Clare; also a County Climate Action Plan being developed now needs to respond to a Government/EU demand for lowered emissions and a 20% reduction in traffic volumes by 2030.
Tom Barrett, Chair of the North Clare Communities Group – the new collective organisation for community groups – has already written formally to Clare County Council to initiate discussion on an action plan to meet local concerns.
The North Clare Communities Group has formed a Transport and Road Safety Working Group that will meet for the first time on 5 September to generate a list of agreed priority actions. Kilfenora will be represented in that working group.
It will be helpful to have clear expressions of views from local communities – hence the use of the questionnaire. It can be returned with answers to [email protected], or hand your form in at O’Gormans shop – replies are requested by 5 September (5pm). Some responses will be collected directly in the street. All responses will be treated as anonymous.
