Protestors out in force against road closure
By Aideen O'Flaherty
LEGAL proceedings against a third-party who allegedly carried out illegal excavation work on Edmondstown Road in Rathfarnham, which has been closed since November as a result of the illegal works, have been adjourned until Friday, July 13.
The road closure has had a knock-on impact on people in the area, with motorists, pedestrians and emergency service vehicles having to take 5km detours to avoid the road, and some local businesses reporting a reduction in custom since the road closure.
South Dublin County Council are bringing legal action against a third-party who allegedly carried out the excavation works, which destabilised the section of the Edmondstown Road located between The Merry Ploughboy Pub and Tibradden Road, and meant the council had to close the road to “protect the safety of road users”.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane adjourned the proceedings in the Circuit Civil Court on Wednesday morning, so the third-party could provide sworn affidavits in response to statements that were lodged in court by council officials.
Rockbrook resident Anne Flood, who was in the public gallery in the Circuit Civil Court on Wednesday morning to watch proceedings, told The Echo: “The fact that this has been adjourned means there is still no hope in sight for the road to be repaired anytime soon.”
On Saturday morning, over 100 protestors converged on the Ballyboden roundabout, where they voiced their frustrations about the closure of the road and called on the council to carry out repair works, before then proceeding along Scholarstown Road to the Orlagh roundabout.
Rockbrook resident Miriam Mason, who is part of the Reopen Edmondstown Road Now group, told The Echo: “The atmosphere at the protest was tremendous, there was a huge show of community strength and resolve.
“There was huge support on the day, people came from neighbouring places like Knocklyon and Butterfield.
“I think people realise that a community amenity has been taken away, and we’re paying road tax and LPT – we deserve proper road infrastructure.
“If we saw some signs of action [on repairing the road] then we’d be happy, but there hasn’t been any.
“We will be looking at further protests if the road doesn’t reopen.”
Last month, a council spokesperson stated that they had “continued to progress discussions with the representatives of the landowner” and that the council’s engineers had agreed the design to carry out the works on the road.
The council said that contractors had been on site to examine the affected portion of the road and to tender a price for the works, however, there is “no date currently for the reopening of the road”.
