Residents calls for erection of walls after car collision
By Aideen O'Flaherty
CASTLETYMON residents are calling for the erection of walls on their open-plan driveways, after a driver struck a house on St Aongus Road and caused extensive damage to the house.
The incident took place at approximately 1.45pm, when a female driver in her 30s collided with the front of the house.
The car collided into the front of the house in Castletymon
No injuries were sustained in the incident, however the driver was brought to hospital as a precaution.
Independent councillor Mick Duff told The Echo: “A week before [the collision happened], kids would’ve been playing on the road because they were off school – this could have had catastrophic consequences.”
The Castletymon area is frequented by learner drivers and people who are sitting their driving tests, according to Cllr Duff, and residents with open-plan driveways are concerned that the absence of a wall on front of their houses leaves them vulnerable if something goes wrong when people are learning to drive.
Cllr Duff said: “We will be pushing South Dublin County Council to erect walls or barriers in the area.
“Eleven of the houses in the area have open-plan driveways, the rest all have garden walls.
“The entire area is used for driving tests.
“It’s considered an ideal area, you can do a hill start, there are corners for reversing and you can do a three-point turn on St Aongus Crescent.”
Cllr Duff added: “I believe that facilities should be made available in the test centre for these manoeuvres to be carried out, not in built up housing estates.”
When contacted by The Echo, a spokesperson for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) said: “Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) should be encouraged to conduct driver tuition in areas where they are not inconveniencing residents and other road users.
“Driving test routes should not be used by ADIs and practicing for prolonged periods in any particular area should be avoided.
“ADIs should, where possible, expand the areas where they conduct driving lessons to reduce inconvenience to residents in any particular area.”
South Dublin County Council were on-site managing the incident on Thursday, January 10, and securing the council-owned property, while it is expected that the affected family will be able to move back into the house in the next six to eight weeks.
In the meantime, the family is being housed in alternative accommodation.
A spokesperson for South Dublin County Council said: “South Dublin County Council was notified of an incident which occurred in the St Aongus Estate, Tallaght last Thursday, January 10, 2019.
“The Emergency Services and South Dublin County Council staff attended the incident.
“The Council have secured the affected property and are currently awaiting reports on the incident.
“The Council have received no requests from local residents to erect walls at this location.”
