Madam, - No one can be surprised to learn that "running out of fuel" is one of the major reasons for daily breakdowns on the M50.
There are no service areas on this heavily used road, nor as it becomes the N11 going south, until somewhere near Jack White's pub. That must be a stretch of at least 60 miles. Consequently our village has been turned into a pit-stop for an enormous amount of north-bound traffic.
A narrow slip road into the village leads past the petrol station along which stream daily hundreds of cars, double-decker buses, huge lorries of every shape and form, earth-moving vehicles, etc.
The petrol station is crammed with parked cars and lorries, with drivers wanting to use the ATM, buy some food or a paper, and not always wanting petrol. Those wanting to fill up form a queue and block the slip road, together with the overspill. Unheeded yellow lines and no-waiting signs line this route.
Just two miles further south there is a large area off the N11 that was used to accommodate earth-moving vehicles when the road was upgraded. Why not turn this space and the redundant West Link toll into efficient service areas?
Even better, why not make the area south of Kilmacanogue into a park-and-ride with buses serving the Luas? - Yours, etc,
BARBARA BENEDICT,
Kilmacanogue,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.