We need to prepare better for changing road use and make pedestrians safer

But with pedestrian deaths doubling in the last year, are these measures always an improvement — or even safe? In my view, they range from deadly and dangerous to potentially dangerous and warrant further consideration.

There is a new traffic light design that is deadly dangerous. I first experienced this in December while driving at night from Killiney, Co. Dublin towards Wyattville Road. Wyattville Road was redesigned and new traffic lights were installed at the junction with Church Road, Ballybrack. At the last second I noticed that the traffic lights on the main road were red and stopped just in time. However, a car behind me went through on full red and had to brake and swerve to avoid a car emerging from Ballybrack on green.

The next five times my family encountered these lights, each time cars went through the intersection at a red light and we saw another near miss. This new design includes a filter arrow for the left turn, but it’s placed on the right side of the intersection. Motorists consider it a lush green straight ahead, especially at night.

I alerted Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCOCO) and the Senior Executive Engineer with the Traffic Department agreed and had the dangerous light removed. However, there is another similar design on a new set of traffic lights on the link road from the M50 into Cherrywood Business Park. Because the side road into the new apartments hasn’t opened up yet, this filter light is solid red, but when it does go live I predict accidents. Pay attention to others around you.

There is a lack of clarity about pedestrian crossings and so-called “polite crossings”. There are partially completed pedestrian crossings in Ireland where it is unclear whether or not they are pedestrian crossings, which can lead to potentially fatal confusion between pedestrians and motorists as to who has the right of way. An example is Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, where an intersection has the appearance of a pedestrian crossing but no amber flashing lights. Pedestrians get off, thinking they’re safe, but cars drive through without seeing.

Coincidentally, the very helpful Sean McGrath, Senior Engineer for DLRCOCO’s Traffic and Road Safety Department, told me that the agency is currently testing a new European design of pedestrian crossings without amber flashing lights at three locations, which are also being tested in Limerick.

Courtesy crossings are also dangerous. There are no guidelines as to how they surfaced, so we see a variety of cobblestone surfaces on ramps that are the same height as the footpath, often creating confusion as to who has the right-of-way.

A reader brought my attention to a new chicane being built on the main street in Woodbrook, Co Dublin, serving a new housing development which he felt was dangerous. I agree and it should at least have warning signs. DLRCOCO tells me it is an interim measure pending the construction of a new bus corridor.

With many agencies and authorities involved in traffic management, I suspect some ambiguity may have crept into the best design.