Council respond to 'Killinaskully' Offaly junction job where trucks and buses can't turn

Offaly County Council has responded to complaints about works on a junction in Rhode which seemingly left trucks and buses unable to turn safely.

Fears have been raised that lorries and buses can no longer turn in Rhode village after footpaths were widened there last week. 

Several people have shown footage on social media of lorries and buses having difficulty making turns in the village centre, at the crossroads, with many questioning the planning of the new footpaths, and their width in particular. 

Road diversions are currently in place in the village as the works are carried out this week. 

A spokesperson for Offaly County Council responded to queries from the Offaly Express and said that the construction work is ongoing but once completed the crossroads in Rhode will be a raised table junction, i.e. no kerbs.

"The steep ramps currently in place are only a temporary measure.  All our Active Travel Works are undertaken in line with appropriate industry guidelines," the spokesperson said. 

'A Killinaskully job' - Trucks and buses can't get around Offaly junction after works

"They added that the works will provide a safer environment for pedestrians and vulnerable road users within Rhode village.

"The completed works will also slow vehicles down with the village and traffic passing through Rhode village, the spokesperson outlined.

"The improvements will also remove unregulated unsafe parking entirely from the crossroads and near pedestrian crossings to improve sight lines."

The spokesperson said the HGVs will have to wait until junctions are clear to continue, crossing the centreline is allowed but only when the path is clear.

The work is actually continuing this week with the Council warning of a another temporary road closure in the village on Tuesday and Wednesday "to allow for the installation of road surface across the junction."

However, concerns remain locally about the works undertaken in the village.

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One person commented on social media: "It’s an accident waiting to happen and needs an urgent review. The workers told the engineer that the road wouldn’t be wide enough and they were told to carry on! Absolutely ridiculous! It needs sorting now".

Local resident Tierna Hannon contacted the Offaly Express and said: "All residents are very angry with the latest 'road improvements'. It's actually quite comical due to the crazy scenes being witnessed on a daily basis and beggars belief as to how it was allowed.

"The county council are missing the point completely in our complaints and insist they are following road width guidelines and the plans etc. The issue is not that road works are causing disruption, it's that the works are a disaster, dangerous and now we literally have nowhere to park in Rhode village.

"It's a four way junction that lorry and bus driver are having nothing but hardship turning on now. Even cars are struggling to turn when another car is at the top of the junction as there is barely enough room for two cars to swing past each other after navigating around the wide path. Roads have been made extremely narrow by massive footpaths with bollards so the majority of our street parking is gone.

"Lorries and buses are finding it extremely difficult to turn and are mounting the paths and have already hit some of the bollards, they are holding up traffic as they need cars to reverse so that they can reverse up and attempt to turn numerous times. Traffic lights won't even fix this problem. One of our main concerns is what happens if someone is standing on the corner here - it's an accident waiting to happen. Local business have lost their parking spaces and are losing business. Our only options are to park in the two pubs private carparks which is not fair on them. Rhode is not accessible anymore," Ms Hannon said.

Footage of the difficulties being encountered by lorries at the crossroads in the village was posted by Adele Kierans. 

Another comment on social media said: "Honest to God, you wouldn't see it in a Killinaskuly sketch!"