New Red Cow traffic system deemed a success

New traffic arrangements at the Red Cow roundabout in Dublin have been deemed a success after the first working day.

Both the National Roads Authority and the AA said the new layout worked well and there was no repeat of the traffic chaos that accompanied previous changes at the junction.

On the approach to the junction from the M7 travelling towards the city centre, motorists have to use the two outside lanes for access to the M50 and the two inside lanes for the city centre and the Luas park and ride.

Traffic coming from Monastery Lane was directed on to a new freeflow over-bridge link from where it merged with the main N7 inbound traffic while traffic going northbound on the M50 had to U-turn at the Ballymount interchange, a diversion of about 1.6 km.

The changes are part of the €1 billion upgrade to the M50 which will see the Red Cow roundabout become a freeflow junction.

AA Roadwatch spokesman Arwen Foley said there was no more delays than usual at rush-hour yesterday morning, although a broken-down lorry on the Naas Road did cause tailbacks, but that was unrelated to the new layout. "It was nothing out of the ordinary," she said.

AA spokesman Conor Faughnan said the success of the first working day was down to motorists who approached the junction with due care.

However, NRA spokesman Michael Egan said they had received reports of motorists lane-jumping on the approach to the Red Cow roundabout.

"We suspect that they were indulging in the typical Irish practice of trying to leapfrog the guy in front of you if you think a gap opens up in the adjoining lane," he said. "People should follow consistently the signage pattern. If you are approaching the city centre don't approach it from the outside lanes."