Sir, – Today’s (April 7th) tragedy on the Luas Red Line demonstrates the dangers inherent in having so many unguarded junctions on busy city streets between motor vehicles and the massive steel-wheeled trams.
I work in Smithfield, and my colleagues and I regularly witness collisions at the blind junction with Lincoln Lane, where motorists cannot see the tram until they are on top of it. Until the entire street layout can be reorganised and the Luas line properly bridged, there is one cost effective measure that could help to reduce the numbers of injuries and deaths suffered at these junctions.
As a motorist, I hate driving over ramps but I do recognise that they slow cars down, especially those with sharp brick edges. Such ramps should be laid on streets leading to Luas intersections as a matter of urgency. I would also recommend the installation of angled mirrors on the corners of buildings as a further protection for Luas and other drivers, as well as the pedestrians who of course are the most vulnerable of all. Finally, the Jervis intersection must be recognised as too busy with pedestrians and cars, and too narrow, to permit an unguarded crossing.
If retailers oppose the closing of this street to vehicles, they should be required to pay for a full-time crossing guard to police the junction. If these simple measures are not taken soon then more people will die. The authorities need to act now. Yours, etc,
ARTHUR DEENY,
Rock Road,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin