Naas driving test centre among country's busiest

The driving test centre in Naas is among the five busiest in the country, writes Brian Byrne. Along with Tallaght, Finglas, Cork (Wilton), and Dun Laoghaire/Deansgrange, they accounted for more than a quarter of all driving test applications this year.

This was noted in a statement by the Road Safety Authority, confirming that its Driving Test Action Plan has reduced waiting times to a 10-week average across the country.

From June to August, the service conducted more than 74,000 driving tests, a 17 per cent increase compared to last year. The authority says applications are at a record level, with 192,373 received between January and August. These include an unexpected surge during July and August.

New testers have been recruited, two new centres — at Sandyford, Dublin, and Drogheda — are ready to open, and a third is planned for the Munster area.

The driving test service has come under severe criticism from politicians in recent months over long waiting periods for tests. 

According to the RSA online estimator, applicants to the Naas centre today should receive an invitation to book by 27 October, for test appointment slots over the following 3-5 weeks.

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Downtown footpath works begin next month

New footpaths will be installed in the downtown Kilcullen area, beginning next month, writes Brian Byrne. Expected to take up to 16 weeks, the work will include a proper junction coming out of Market Square.

The works will comprise a new, sweeping, granite path starting at the River Cafe and continuing down to Fire Stop. The paths on the other side of the road will also be renewed, and a pedestrian crossing is part of the plan. When completed, there will be two additional parking spaces. The project is costing almost €500,000.

Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, who has been urging the council for some considerable time to do this footpath upgrade, has welcomed the news, saying it is much-needed work which will set the template for the rest of the footpath works required throughout the town. 

Significant disruption will occur during the project, and traffic management systems will be in place for the duration. "It will be disruptive to residents and businesses, and I encourage people to support the local businesses as best they can. The new wider path will make it safer and easier for pedestrians to navigate, and it will facilitate outdoor dining" 

The councillor added that the new junction layout at the square will make it safer for pedestrians to cross and will slow down traffic entering the square and the Riverside estate. She notes that this is not the Market Square redevelopment project but is part of the hoped-for footpath improvements through the town. "The next section would be up at Nolans," she says.

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Strong turnout to cycle lane meetings in Moone-Timolin

Image: Moone and Timolin Positive Action.

The three entities involved with the controversial pilot cycle scheme at Moone-Timolin will report back to the community next week following a workshop series that took place yesterday, writes Brian Byrne. Representatives of Kildare County Council, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, and the scheme designers, Aecon, are reviewing the meetings and have committed to reverting by Friday week.

More than 40 people turned out to the meeting held last evening, following the workshop sessions which had taken place from 3pm. The meeting heard there had been an acknowledgement of flaws with the consultation process, implementation, and design.

"It's a waiting game now," a spokesperson for the Moone and Timolin Positive Action Group said.

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Watch out for hedge-cutting

The Gardai have appealed to road users to be aware of increased use of large machinery on country roads over the coming weeks.

The roadside hedge cutting season started on Monday.

Please drive with extra care and be alert to the possibility of work going on as you round a bend.

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RSA urges back to school awareness

An appeal to parents, guardians, teachers and motorists to make road safety a priority has been made by the Road Safety Authority as children return to school, writes Brian Byrne. The call is against the background of 623 children killed or seriously injured on Irish roads over the five years to the end of 2024.

Of the casualties, 39 children up to the age of 15 lost their lives, with seven in ten of those aged 10-15 years. One in seven of all casualties happened while the children were travelling to or from school, and a similar ratio occurred on urban roads with a speed limit of 60km/h or less.

Drivers need to be aware of the increased number of vehicles with the return to school and to be alert and cautious around children walking, cycling or getting on and off buses.

Also, do not allow children to travel in vehicles without being properly restrained.

The RSA’s Back to School Road Safety Guidelines are at this link. 

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"Don't use sat-nav to get to EP" - Garda

The Garda have asked motorists travelling to Electric Picnic not to use sat-nav systems in the Stradbally area, writes Brian Byrne. Instead, follow the signed routes which are part of the official traffic plan.

Using sat-nav will send cars down unsuitable roads, causing unnecessary delays, disruption to residents, and putting extra pressure on Garda resources.

Following the Garda plan is the safest and quickest way to the site.

Some 85,000 people are expected to attend the sold-out concert weekend.

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Pencil bollards at Scoil Bhride

Image: Tracey O'Dwyer.

Pencil bollards, which have been installed at Scoil Bhride in Kilcullen, are designed to alert drivers that they are in a school zone, writes Brian Byrne. They have also been installed at Scoil Bhride in Athgarvan, by Kildare County Council.

They are made from impact-resistant polyurethane and come in four colours in a pencil design to emphasise the school location.

The providers say they are a powerful visual cue that helps prevent accidents and discourages illegal parking, safeguarding student pathways.

Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer has welcomed the installations, just in time for the return to school, as "another job off the list."

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Road safety plea for back to school

Image: Atlantic Ambience via Pexels.

With schools fully opening this week and next, An Garda has issued a plea for road safety awareness, writes Brian Byrne. It applies both to drivers and parents.

Drivers are asked to be extra vigilant near schools, follow directions from traffic wardens, slow down, give space to cyclists and pedestrians, and not to park on yellow lines.

Parents should always think about safety while dropping off and picking up their children, avoid dangerous or illegal parking, and, very importantly, talk to their children about road safety.

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Action day on illegal use of e-scooters

Scooter image by Norma Mortenson via Pexels.

Today is a Garda National Day of Action on the illegal use of personal powered transporters such as e-scooters, writes Brian Byrne. There will be enforcement checkpoints across the Kildare/Carlow Division throughout the day.

Illegal PPTs will be seized, and fixed charge notices will be issued to those with illegal machines or those using legal ones incorrectly.

There will also be road safety engagement to ensure users know how to use their transporters within the rules of the road.

Although no licence, registration or insurance is required, Users must be 16 years or older and obey a speed limit of 20km/h. E-scooters are banned from footpaths, and users can't carry passengers.

Maximum power output is 400 watts or less, and the maximum weight (including batteries) is 25 kg. 

The maximum speed limit is 20 km/h.

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Council seeks lower speed limit on Moone-Timolin road

Image: Kildare Nationalist.

Kildare County Council has issued notice that it intends to reduce the speed limit on a section of the R448 from Moone to Timolin, writes Brian Byrne. The move is to facilitate the construction of the National Cycle Network (NCN) R448 Moone Timolin Project.

The new limit will apply from 26 August 2025 to 19 December 2025.

The €1.6 million pilot project has generated intense criticism from local residents and cyclists on safety and congestion issues, as well as from the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors.

Objections or observations on the speed limit proposal can be lodged in writing to the Senior Executive Officer, Transport, Mobility and Open Spaces at KCC's HQ in Naas or directly at consult.kildarecoco.ie/en on or before 5pm on 18 August 2025. 

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Traffic lights and wheelchair kerb access for MD meeting

Images: Google.

Two motions on Kilcullen's transport infrastructure will be discussed at next week's meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District, writes Brian Byrne. The meeting is next Wednesday, 16 July, at 10.30am in the Council Chamber in Naas.

In the first, Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer is asking that Kildare County Council carry out a physical assessment of the sequencing and traffic movements at the traffic lights, to ascertain if the sequencing is working effectively for both pedestrians and motorists.

Her second motion seeks the installation of dropped kerb sections along the footpath opposite Nicholastown and the Conroy Park estates, to allow wheelchair users in particular to access the new community walkway around Kilcullen GAA.

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Call for expansion of Safe Routes to School scheme

Children who walk or cycle to school are more alert, engaged and ready to learn, according to Kildare South-based Senator Fiona O'Loughlin, writes Brian Byrne. She made the comment in a call for renewed investment and expansion of the Safe Routes to School programme.

In a statement following the publication of the 2024 Annual Report from the programme, she said the scheme has been a great success nationwide and now needs to be expanded further. Piloted in an initial 412 schools across the country, providing cycling and walking infrastructure on routes to schools and initiatives like expanding cycle and scooter parking at schools make a big difference. Participating schools have reported an average of 17 percent drop in car journeys, with cycling to school increased by 36 percent and walking by 6 percent.

For 2025, two Newbridge schools were allocated €100,000 and Kilkea NS €20,000, and the Senator wants to see more County Kildare schools in the programme.

Safe Routes to School is an initiative of the Department of Transport and supported by the Department of Education. It is operated by An Taisce in partnership with the National Transport Authority and local authorities.

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Brannockstown junction made safer

Image: Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer.

New traffic-calming measures have been put in place at Brannockstown at the junction with the Ballymore Road.

They include resurfacing and new line marking, and new speed bumps on either side of the junction.

Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer says the project has been a long time coming and she has thanked Kildare County Council for keeping it in the works programme.

"Hopefully these additional measures will slow down vehicles as they enter the village and make this junction safer," she says.

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Deer warning on road to Naas

Motorists travelling the R448 between the Silliot Hill Recycling Centre and the junction to Two Mile House should be aware of deer crossing, writes Brian Byrne. There have been sightings of 'quite a few' deer on the road in recent evenings.

The stretch is a well-trodden crossing for wild deer herds in this area, and they can be particularly active between dusk and dawn.

Drive safe.

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Councillor to pursue safety signage on 'The Avenue'

The need for warning signage at the crossing point to Pinkeen Bridge on Cnoc na Greine Avenue will continue to be pursued by Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer, writes Brian Byrne. This follows a 'no budget' answer this week to her motion for a safety assessment at the location.

At the monthly meeting of the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District, the councillor had stressed the need for safety measures, including signage, to alert drivers to pedestrians crossing the road. The bridge was installed in 2022 and is now widely used by children and parents walking from the school to the Castlemartin and Cnoc na Greine estates.

In response to her motion the MD office agreed to include the location for an assessment, but noted that there's a 'long list' of traffic calming requests "and no available budget for assessments or works."

Cllr O'Dwyer told the Diary that the location will be listed for traffic calming assessment in 2026. "However the location I believe would benefit from signage, and I will pursue this," she said.

A similar motion about traffic calming at Logstown received a similar answer from the officials.

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