By Andy Spearman

Anyone who drives through Drogheda on a regular basis will be only too aware of the frustrating and time wasting effects of the chaotic traffic throughout the town.

Thirty minutes to cover the half kilometre along the North Quays from the gates of Drogheda Port to St Mary’s Bridge is commonplace and it’s a similar picture on the Dublin Road with seemingly permanent tailbacks.

If you have an appointment to keep, the only way you can be sure to get there on time is to walk or cycle.

Newly co-opted Sinn Féin Councillor Debbie McCole received a positive response from Louth County Council when she asked them recently to examine the traffic light synchronization system in Drogheda.

Councillor McCole pointed out that the syncing of the lights has been causing significant congestion in key areas of the major routes, including Dublin Road, North Road, Marsh Road, Trinity Street and Donore Road.

Cllr McCole welcomed the response from Louth County Council who told her they would ‘re-examine the sequencing across these key routes to identify changes that may assist traffic flow in Drogheda.” Cllr McCole said. 

“It is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate Drogheda, especially during peak hours and this causes stress and puts unnecessary strain on our local community, businesses and commuters.

“We need a town that is accessible, efficient and welcoming. Effective traffic management is a crucial part of that and I look forward to seeing the issue resolved.” 

Well said Councillor McCole, but of course the Council are already well aware of the traffic problems in Drogheda. Councillors have been complaining about it for decades but the Council don’t have the funds to come up with a remedy.

The HGV traffic which causes more than its fair share of chaos on the streets of Ireland’s biggest town should improve somewhat when the PANCR is completed but that doesn’t seem likely to happen any day soon.

The core of the problem is that there are far too many cars on the roads and at peak times the town is choked with traffic which is bad for business, bad for your nerves and bad for public health. 

It really is time for the powers that be to come up with solutions and that is going to need some clear thinking, imagination and ambition. Brave decisions will have to be made and they may not be universally popular.

The town centre is for people to enjoy not a glorified car park, it must be made more pedestrian friendly, it is shocking to see young parents pushing their babies’ buggies and people in wheelchairs risking their lives as they negotiate their way through the traffic and around huge trucks. I have seen so many near misses at the death trap that is St. Mary’s Bridge.

Some ideas to improve the situation that spring to mind include (in no particular order):

• The M1 toll must be removed
• The centre of town to be pedestrianised
• A park and ride system for people working in town
• More segregated cycle and pedestrian lanes
• A new bridge downstream from the viaduct to take traffic across town