|
|
Traffic light protest at Cockhill
Bridge
03.03.09
By Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
THE long-running Cockhill Bridge saga took another
twist yesterday morning when local residents and
businesspeople gathered to protest against county
council proposals to install a traffic light system
to manage pedestrian and vehicular traffic using the
bridge.
Protestors were scathing about the plans, which they
described as a recipe for traffic chaos on one of
the main arteries to north Inishowen and a cheap
alternative to putting a pedestrian footbridge in
place.
Mrs Catherine Cullen said that the lights will
affect trade at her family run business. “We pay our
rates to Donegal County Council and we can’t
understand why we’ve been ignored,” she said. “We
don’t want traffic lights here and I’ll be out with
everyone else here to protest when the machines come
to put them in.”. |
 |
“I pay €48,000 in motor
tax every year but the council didn’t consult with
me or anyone else,” said haulier Danny Bradley, who
operates 12 lorries out of his Umricam base. “These
traffic lights will act as a cut off point and add
substantial time to our trips.”
Under the proposals, Cockhill Bridge will adopt a
one way system with traffic lights |
on either side of the
bridge at Cullen’s Shop and St Mary’s Church and on
the R238 towards Clonbeg. A footpath for pedestrians
will also be marked on the bridge.
Mr Bradley also expressed concern about the proposed
footpath markings. “The bridge is narrow enough as
it is, but if one of my lorries were to cross the
painted markings the driver could be hit with six
penalty points on his licence. Two incidents like
that and he’d lose his licence. It’s just another
way to put us out of business.”
Oliver O’Donnell last year organised a petition
calling for a pedestrian footbridge to be
constructed alongside the existing bridge. “It
attracted 2,500 signatures, but I don’t think anyone
would have wanted traffic lights. There’ll be
uproar. Traffic won’t get over Cockhill Bridge and
there will be tailbacks going in all directions.”
Cllr Peter McLaughlin expressed fears that the
lights would become a “temporary-permanent”
solution.
“If these are put in place, along with those
proposed for the junction with the Cassie Road,
we’ll have four sets of traffic lights in a one mile
stretch,” he said. “It’s far too much.”
Cllr McLaughlin said an additional €1,000
development levy specifically for the construction
of a footbridge had been applied to houses built in
the Clonbeg area and asked what those funds were
going to be used for now.
“Traffic lights are the cheap option,” he said. |
|
