Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for engaging with a number of the points I raised. I will make a number of observations on the guidelines. For areas such as Newcastle and Lucan where there is two-lane traffic, there also areas such as Main Street or Castle Road which are not low-volume traffic areas. In the first instance, I request that updated guidance be issued to local authorities so that they do specify how they are determining that an area is a low-volume traffic area. Certainly, Main Street, Newcastle, and Castle Road, Lucan, would not be areas I would see as having low-volume traffic. As I do not think they would satisfy the points, that updated guidance should be there.

It sounds a little trite but I also ask that any inspection of these crossings happens at night. I have often received responses from engineers that they inspected a crossing, probably at 4 p.m. when it is bright, so they are not necessarily assessing the level of public lighting as well.

I appreciate the Minister of State taking on board the issue of solar-powered beacons. It is a cost-effective solution. Drivers are used to seeing beacons that give advance warning to pedestrians, but they also give confidence to the pedestrians who use them as well, as they know a signal to slow down has been given to drivers.

I appreciate the Minister of State taking on board the need to think of the advance road markings and I would point out that beacons like this are used in the safe route to schools schemes deployed around the country by the National Transport Authority. The children crossing signs, for example, have battery installations in the back of those signs so there is precedent for using those sorts of technology. Having researched this issue, a large number of Irish companies supply these sorts of beacons so it is worthwhile to engage with them. It enhances the safety of these crossings as well. Notwithstanding this, I ask for the issuing of updated guidance to the council on how to define a low-volume traffic area, and to make sure engineers are examining these crossings when there is no daylight.

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