Sir, – I live in old Lucan, a quiet suburb of Dublin. In the last three or four years, due to congestion on the main roads during school and business hours, my little suburban road of fewer than 20 houses has become a rat-run for fast-moving SUVs, driven by men and women alike, rushing their children to school, avoiding the village in Lucan and using my little road to save that extra 20 or 30 seconds.
Under any circumstances this would be an issue, but it’s the speed these people go at, the corners they cut, and the lack of care for residents that anger me so much.
I spoke to a local politician who I voted for, and she said she couldn’t help because it was too close to home and it could be seen as favouritism. Yes, that’s what I voted for.
I spoke to An Garda Síochána, who sent a young garda up to me, and who in the five minutes standing with me witnessed at least three of these speeding drivers.
He came on a Saturday!
The response from the Garda was, “It’s a council issue”.
So I contacted my local council, mapped out the whole situation , expressed by concern for residents, both young and old, and put forward a request for traffic-calming measures (such as a speed bump, a residents-only sign and a bollard or two).
I quote the council’s response: “Speeding is a matter of enforcement and should be reported to the Garda.”
So as a taxpaying, law-abiding citizen, what choice do I have next?
And what in God’s earth is the point in the vote, the law, or the council if a genuine and well thought-out plea for assistance is ignored? – Yours, etc,
BARRY
PRINGLE,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.