On the verge of change... Are new urban roads too narrow for traffic?

A DUNSHAUGHLIN-based councillor says some “cop on is needed” when it comes to new road design.

This comes after recently reinstated grass verges in Ashbourne were torn up by cars that mounted kerbs to avoid oncoming vehicles.

Cllr Fionnan Blake said the issue is the same in Dunshaughlin with works taking place along the Ratoath Road where visible imprints of large vehicle tyres are seen going across grass and footpaths.

“Well landscaped areas are being destroyed,” Cllr Blake said.

“The current situation cannot continue. Some cop on is needed to make sustainable and effective changes to our roads.”

Sinn Féin TD Darren O’Rourke said: “There have been hundreds of complaints from constituents about these new, narrow and unsafe roads. Meath County Council tell us that they are just following the design manual but that's not good enough. It's immediately obvious to everyone that these roads are too narrow.”

They said the Design Manual for Urban Streets and Roads (DMURS), which the council uses to design roads in urban areas, should be reviewed due to these incidents. O’Rourke claimed this is due to current designs not allowing lorries, trucks, buses, and tractors to manoeuvre properly.