This article is from page 10 of the 2011-04-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
MANAGEMENT at Ennis Golf Club have welcomed new traffic control measures in the area, saying they are “essential from a health an safety point of view”.
Speed ramps have been installed on a section of road near the golf club while work on a new pedestrian crossing is set to commence in the coming weeks.
The club has contributed € 10,000 to the project which is being carried out by Ennis Town Council. The decision to install speed ramps
was criticised by some local representatives at the April meeting of Clare County Council, with Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) claiming the works had caused inconvenience for motorists.
However, speaking yesterday, Ennis Golf Club honourary secretary, John Cullinane said the speed ramps and pedestrian crossing are needed to protect members who used the road to cross from one section of the course into the other.
He explained, “We have over 1,500 members.
“A few hundred of them would be older members and then we have about 300 juvenile and junior members. They are trying to cross the road and it is very dangerous.”
Mr Cullinane said the club had been looking for a pedestrian crossing for a number of years.
He said that traffic had increased in the area since the opening of the N85 western relief road. He added that drivers are often unaware that golfers use the road to cross into the course. Mr Cullinane added;
“It’s unsighted at both sides. You have to run across at your peril.”
A plan to develop a tunnel in the area was deemed unfeasible due to the height of the road while rumble strips had “had no effect” on reducing speed, Mr Cullinane explained.
He said that apart from carrying golf bags, older members often crossed the road in buggies. “We’re lucky there hasn’t been a serious accident on the road,” he added.
Mr Cullinane said members are “very grateful to the council” for installing a pedestrian crossing. “From a health and safety point of view, it’s essential,” he said.
Club member and local Fianna Fáil councillor, Pat Daly, also welcomed the measures, saying;
“It’s a fast stretch of road that motorists will come to understand is a serious health and safety issues to the over 1,000 members that use the golf course on a regular basis”. Cllr Daly said that crossing the road on certain days can be “life threatening”.