Recommendation to close dangerous junction will impact 2,000 homes

2000 homes are set to be affected after Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) recommended the closure of a dangerous junction in the local area.

The junction at the N7 and Boot Road exit has been the location of several crashes and is close to where journalist Veronica Guerin was murdered in 1996.

Many motorists will be affected by this proposed closure, with local traffic from areas such as Newlands and national traffic being hit as a result.

Councillor William Carey said: “Having lived in the area for over 40 years I am well aware of the importance of this junction and I predict that it will become chaotic for traffic in the Clondalkin area if this is allowed to happen.”

Cllr Carey expects many motorists to seek access to Dublin through the Fonthill Road, which is already a busy road in the mornings.

Locations such as Bushfield, St John’s and the Green Isle Hotel are expected to be affected by these changes.

South Dublin County Councillor William Carey noted: “That’s a lot of traffic that exits the exit there heading in towards Dublin and also you have traffic coming up the country that use that turn off, rather than heading down into Newlands Cross, which can be chock-a-block.”

TIIs statement notes that they already recommended the closure of the junction last year, but councillors met with TII and raised concerns, hoping for an alternative.

Directional issues before the exit were among the concerns councillors had and they believe such concerns could be dealt with without the need for a junction closure on a national road.

Cllr Carey was present at meetings with TII and noted that the state agency has failed to address the points raised.

“What they’ve done is that they’ve decided the easiest way to deal with it is to just close the junction, rather than deal with the safety issues and the traffic concerns we had raised.”

TIIs plans throw a spanner in the works for the Clondalkin Framework Plan, currently in the consultation process at South Dublin County Council.

The changes that may need to be made to the framework plan would involve a complete overhaul of traffic management numbers.

The Clondalkin councillor believes that this proposal is “lazy and unnecessary” with policy put before the safety of others and no consideration given to the people of Clondalkin.

“The safety concerns can be easily dealt with if they have a mind to do so. However, it would seem that this does not suit their agenda that they wish to promote themselves.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme