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New speed limits at
accident blackspot
09.09.08
THE speed limit has
finally been reduced at a notorious accident
blackspot outside Buncrana.
The limit has been reduced from 80kph to 65kph at
the bad bend at Beach Halt, Lisfannon. The area has
seen a number of crashes over the years, the worst
of which claimed five lives including a mother and
daughter in February 2006. Aija Porcika, 38, from
Liepaja in Latvia had just collected her 19-year old
daughter Ginta Veite from Dublin Airport and was
returning to Buncrana with friends Marita Kerpe, 28,
and Ricardas Bielskis, 35, when their car was in a
head-on collision with a car carrying two Latvian
men. Danielius Abartis, 23, also from Liepaja, died
in the crash while the second man made a full
recovery. |
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The deaths prompted
calls from local residents for safety measures at
the site. These were recently introduced and include
large 65kph speed signs on both approaches to the
bend as well as a series of black-on-yellow
reflective arrows alerting motorists to the curve of
the road. |
Garda Sergeant John O'Keeffe said he was delighted
the new speed reduction measures had been installed.
"Gardai in consultation with the county council
recommended that these road accident blackspots be
dealt with. We are delighted to see that this
particular blackspot in Lisfannon has received the
attention it needed and I would hope that the new
speed limits will reduce the number of accidents
there."
Sgt O'Keeffe who retires later this month also
called on the road safety authorities to immediately
tackle Cockhill Bridge before a fatality occurs at
the busy bottleneck.
"This bridge is far too dangerous and with the
increase in the number of families living in the
Cockhill area in recent times, I have real fears for
the lives of children and parents using it. Urgent
efforts should be made to build a new bridge and
pavements out there before there is a fatality,"
said Sgt. O'Keeffe. |
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