A chara, - I work as a GP in Dublin and continually find my work confounded by the lack of clear road signs and legible door numbers. This is particularly annoying and dangerous after dark. It usually results in multiple journeys into people's driveways trying to elucidate the sequence of numbers on their doors or driving around housing estates searching for some clue to the identity of the particular road I'm looking for.
During the winter months our out-of-hours workload tends to increase. It is important that we can provide this service as efficiently as possible. On rare occasions, the prompt arrival at a particular address can mean the difference between life and death. I'm sure the lack of clear door numbers and road signs makes the work of the ambulance and fire services more difficult as well.
I appreciate that many road signs are vandalised but this doesn't justify their being left for months on end without repair. Street signs are a vital part of our street architecture and should be maintained as such. It would also be most helpful if people could display their house numbers clearly on their gates. - Yours, etc., Olive Smyth,
Oxmantown Road,
Dublin 7.