Pedestrians are putting themselves in danger when crossing the road at a busy junction at a location in Killarney town centre where there is no designated controlled crossing.
Cllr Brendan Cronin has asked council officials to provide a safe area for people to cross from the area adjacent to the Johnny O’Leary statue on Mission Road to the rear of the jarvey stand.
He said the situation is very dangerous as there is a dropped path but no signage.
“There are no road markings or indications for pedestrians or motorists,” he said.
Cllr Cronin said it is close to a very busy junction with three lanes of traffic entering the road, two lanes from the Muckross Road and another from East Avenue Road.
“People walk out of Killarney House and turn left and go to cross the road and it’s very dangerous. I saw a family having a very close escape,” he remarked.
Council officials said it is an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing where drivers are not obliged to stop and where pedestrians can cross when there is a gap in the traffic.
Signage and road markings do not form part of the design of an uncontrolled crossing but there is a controlled zebra crossing, where drivers are obliged to stop, 40m from that location, they pointed out.
Cllr Cronin said, however, that for some reason, people tend to walk in straight lines even when there is a safer option.
The council said improvement proposals for Kenmare Place, which will include a wider junction layout and an upgrade for pedestrians and cyclists, are progressing through design stage in consultation with Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
Cllr Maura Healy-Rae asked for additional signs to be provided in the area advising the public that horse and carts are exiting on to the roadway.
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