A GRIEVING family has called for “urgent” action at a north Co Dublin accident blackspot at which there have been 57 incidents, including three fatalities in the last seven years.
Gayle Grehan (47) of Wood Farm Acres, Palmerstown, Dublin 20, died from multiple injuries on July 20th, 2009, when the car she was driving failed to stop at Ward Cross junction, north Co Dublin, and collided with a BMW travelling on the main road.
A jury at an inquest into the mother of two’s death yesterday called for the construction of a roundabout at the junction “as a matter of urgency”.
Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty said it was a “very urgent matter” and said he would write a “strong letter” to Fingal County Council stressing the recommendation of the jury.
“There is lots of evidence this is a very dangerous spot with numerous accidents and several fatalities. A roundabout might improve the situation,” said the coroner, who said he had previously held an inquest into a death at the same spot and that someone else had died since.
Solicitor for the Grehan family Richard Bennett told the inquest that planning permission for a roundabout and funding has been available for some time and that the Grehan family has been in contact with Fingal County Council on the matter, but that the process to acquire the lands hasn’t started.
Dublin County Coroner’s Court heard that the Renault Scenic which was travelling on a minor road, the R121, did not come to a halt at the stop line at the junction with the R135 at Ward Cross.
The inquest heard there are signs highlighting the approach to the junction, including stop signs and an advanced warning sign, as well as rumble strips. But the junction is an “old-style straight-through crossover junction . . . which in this day and age . . . wouldn’t be constructed like that,” Garda Edward Davin told the inquest.
“There are lots of signs, but people are not looking at the signs. They are looking at the road ahead . . . now they would stagger the junction,” said the coroner.
Forensic collision investigator Garda John Curley said a roundabout would draw attention to the junction. Giving evidence, he said there have been 54 recorded incidents at the junction between 2003 and July 28, 2009. Not all of them resulted in deaths, but he agreed with the coroner it was “quite a high number”.
Another garda said he had attended three incidents at that location since July 2009.
A jury recorded a verdict of accidental death and also called for further signs at the junction.
Speaking after the inquest Mrs Grehan’s husband, Philip, her two sisters, Paula Byrne and Linda Barker, and her brother-in-law Patrick Grehan called for the roundabout to be constructed as a matter of urgency. “It’s too late for Gayle, but we don’t want other lives lost or other families to suffer like we have because of this dangerous junction. It’s an issue which needs to be addressed urgently,” said Ms Barker.
A spokeswoman for Fingal County Council said there are plans for substantial upgrade and road-realignment work at Ward Cross and the local authority is proceeding with a detailed design and tender. The council is progressing this scheme as a priority project, she said.
At present, the roads at this junction are signposted, and there are advance rumble strips and warning signs in each direction.
The council carried out advance works as part of this scheme last autumn, and removed a significant portion of a ditch, cleared hedging and vegetation and improved sightlines in the area.
It is not proposed to initiate a Compulsory Purchase Order process for the land required for this realignment, as landowners have indicated their co-operation.