Madam, – I live 1 km outside Dunshaughlin on the N3. To “safely” walk from my home to the village, I have to cross this dangerous stretch of road twice (Home News, May 24th). If the National Roads Authority provides the required footpaths at the roundabouts as it is presently designed I will have to cross the road twice more: once to access the footpaths and once to return to the bus lane, which is the safest place to walk. I understood Ireland was trying to move away from an era of bad planning. Perhaps the NRA negotiating with local residents on this matter would be a step in that direction? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – It is beyond belief that in 2010 new roads are built for only one group of users: those in cars, SUVs, trucks and buses. People who walk, run or cycle to get from A to B should be applauded rather than forced to risk their life.
When the NRA counts the cost of adding footpaths and hard shoulders rather than including them in the build in the first place, and compiles its “lessons learned” from the N3, perhaps it could also give assurances that it will take account of all users’ needs when designing roads in the future?
There has long been a dearth of places to walk in safety in lovely rural Ireland, but this affects children and adults going about their daily activities. – Yours, etc,