WORK ON CHANGING CROSSING

Work is continuing today with the changing of the pedestrian crossing at CPC from a Zebra to a Signalled facility. It is made easier with the schools being closed for the mid-term break.

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WATCH OUT FOR WIND DEBRIS

Be careful driving the roads this morning — there is likely to be a considerable amount of debris from the winds overnight.

The pictures above are of a tree down on a road in the Nicholastown area, but we weren't given the precise location.

There's also a tree down on the on left hand side before Brannockstown School.

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CROSSING AT CPC TO BE UPGRADED NEXT WEEK

Works will commence next week to upgrade the Zebra Crossing at CPC to a signal-controlled pedestrian crossing, with push button units.  

The works will include the removal of Zebra Crossing equipment and the installation of new pedestrian crossing equipment, road lining, and all associated site works. 

Traffic and pedestrian management will be in place for the duration of the works. Kildare County Council apologies for any inconvenience caused.

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APPEAL FOR CYCLISTS TO LIGHT UP

File image by Deepak Gautam via Pexels.

As the evenings draw in and darkness falls earlier, may I raise the issue of cyclist visibility, writes Frances Moloney. I am encountering young people in dark clothes on unlit bikes, flying up and down Main Street, Kilcullen, who seem to have no awareness of how vulnerable they are when they are unseen by road traffic. 

It is also to be noted that none of these young people are wearing protective helmets.

May I appeal to parents to provide their children with lights for their bike and encourage their use? May I further appeal to sports coaches to reiterate the need to light up when heading to or from training, as I think many of these children are.

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ROAD SAFETY WEATHER ALERT – STORM AUSTEN

Main image: Erik Mclean via Pexels.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is advising caution on Thursday and Friday due to Met Eireann’s Orange and Yellow Weather warnings for Storm Austen. Heavy rain and strong winds, particularly in the south and southeast, are expected to cause travel disruptions and flooding.

Orange Rain Warnings are in effect for Cork, Kerry, and Waterford from 10pm Thursday to 5am Friday, and for Dublin, Wexford, and Wicklow from 2am to 8am Friday. These conditions may lead to public transport delays and difficult travel.

A Yellow Rain and Wind Warning covers Ireland from 7pm Thursday to 10am Friday, with potential localised flooding and impacts on outdoor events.

Drivers are urged to slow down, maintain greater braking distances, avoid flooded roads, and follow traffic signs. Dipped headlights should be used for visibility. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists should wear high visibility clothing and be cautious of strong winds.

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LIGHTS AND LINING COMPLETED

More work completed on the public realm downtown. 

The new pedestrian lights have been activated, and the lining of the spaces in the car park completed.

The last includes the first accessible parking space on the other side of the bridge.

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BACK TO SCHOOL ROAD SAFETY PLEA

An Garda Síochána Kildare is urging road users to be careful as children return to school. Drivers are advised to slow down, stay alert, follow school wardens' directions, watch for children crossing, and give space to cyclists and pedestrians. 

Parking illegally or double parking is strictly prohibited. Parents should plan safe drop-off and collection points, avoid illegal parking, and discuss road safety with their children. 

A few extra seconds of care can significantly enhance safety.

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DEBRIS ON MOTORWAY WARNING

9.05am UPDATE: Cleared. 8.05am: A warning about debris on the M9 northbound between Kilcullen Services and the J2 to Kilcullen has been issued by Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The agency says motorists should drive with caution and reduce speed when approaching the hazard.

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M9 collision incident cleared at lunchtime

Kilcullen experienced very heavy traffic through the morning, following a collision incident that closed the M9 northbound between J2 Kilcullen and the M9/M7 intersection.

The incident affected all three lanes and was only cleared a short time ago (1.20pm).

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30km/h speed limits proposed by Council

Image: KCC.

All Kilcullen housing estates that are taken in charge by KCC, and the main street from Conroy Park to the Market Square entrance north of the bridge, will be subject to a 30km/h speed limit under proposals being considered by Kildare County Council, writes Brian Byrne. The limit would also apply on the R413 west as far as Castlemartin gates and east as far as the top entrance of the Valley Park.

The Supplementary Special Speed Limit Byelaws for Built-Up and Urban areas 2026, as proposed, are now open to public view until 28 August, as part of a consultation process. They can be accessed online or at the Council’s offices in Naas. 

After public consultation, the Elected Members will consider adopting the byelaws, possibly with amendments, and they will take effect upon adoption. 

The byelaws are detailed in five volumes of maps, each covering a different Municipal District. Submissions can be made online in accordance with the Department of Transportation Guidelines 2025.

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Positive council responses to Kilcullen road safety issues

Cllr Tracey O’Dwyer has welcomed positive responses from Kildare County Council to two local safety and infrastructure issues, writes Brian Byrne. They relate to repairing a speed bump outside Scoil Bhride and a poor surface at St Brigid's Avenue.

Following her representations at today's Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting, the Council has agreed to assess a damaged speed bump outside Scoil Bhríde on the busy Newbridge–Kilcullen Road (R413), with a view to carrying out urgent repairs. The critical traffic-calming measure, which slows vehicles directly outside the school gates, has developed a dangerously sharp edge, a concern for local motorists, due to heavy wear and tear. Cllr O’Dwyer has asked that works be prioritised and, where possible, completed during school holidays to minimise disruption.

Separately, the Council has committed to interim pothole repairs on the rear access road serving residents of St Brigid’s Avenue, Kilcullen, following another motion from Cllr O’Dwyer. The heavily deteriorated surface, which has not been fully resurfaced since the estate was built, will receive patch repairs to tackle the worst potholes. At the same time, officials continue to seek funding for full resurfacing. 

Cllr O’Dwyer said the commitments will provide immediate relief for residents and road users while longer-term solutions are pursued.

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Call for 'urgent measures' at 'lethal' Kinneagh junction

Image: Tracey O'Dwyer.

Following a serious crash today that makes three in just a few months at Kinneagh Cross, Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer says she is seeking urgent interim measures to make the junction safer, writes Brian Byrne. Kinneagh Cross is notorious for its blind approach — particularly for drivers pulling out or approaching from the Newbridge side.

The councillor says the junction approaches are high speed and therefore a crash results in high impact. "It’s lethal, and the speed at which an impact happens is a real worry," she told the Diary, adding that the issue is similar to that at Thompson's Cross, near Kilcullen. "High speed, huge impact."

She says that she has been consistently raising the Kinneagh issue with the Council. "It is now on the list for upgrade works, and I would hope those works can start as soon as possible," she said after today's incident, which held up traffic in the area for some time. "The speed review is also currently underway, and if possible, I will be looking for the speed to be reduced at the approach to this junction."

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Council urges weather awareness

Kildare County Council has urged the public to stay weather aware as high temperatures bring an increased risk of thunderstorms and local flooding.

The council advises people to stay hydrated, seek shade during the hottest part of the day and avoid strenuous outdoor activity. It also reminds the public not to leave children, vulnerable people or animals in vehicles, even briefly, and to check in on neighbours who may need extra support.

People are advised to move indoors if thunder is heard, stop outdoor activity if lightning develops, and avoid driving in heavy rain unless necessary. Also, never to drive, walk or cycle through floodwater.

Additional advice covers water and fire safety, including supervising children near water, checking local conditions and not lighting fires in woodland or open countryside.

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Councillor will continue to work for M9 exit ramp to Newbridge

M9 J11/1 doesn't bring traffic to Newbridge or M7 south.

Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer says she will continue to work towards getting official consideration for a new exit ramp off the M9 motorway, to better serve traffic coming from the south-east to access Newbridge and the M7 south, writes Brian Byrne. Her comment follows a less-than-optimistic response to a motion at the recent Kildare-Newbridge MD meeting requesting the council to seek an assessment for the facility by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

The lack of the suggested link means that cars and commercial vehicles coming from the south-east on the M9 have to come through Kilcullen or along the Sunnyhill Road to access Newbridge and the M7 south, with consequences for traffic congestion and road safety. 

The officials' report on her motion noted that Newbridge already has two M7 motorway interchanges (J10 and J12), giving access from both directions. While the Kildare County Development Plan proposes studying improved traffic movements at the M7/M9 interchange (J11/1), this junction does not appear in current national plans or funding lists up to 2030, and the feasibility study for it is not funded.

Cllr O'Dwyer says that other councillors at the meeting voiced their support for her motion, but unfortunately, there was nobody from the Roads Department at the meeting to discuss it.

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30km/h speed limits on the way

A 30km/h speed limit for residential housing estates taken in charge by Kildare County Council will come into effect in July, writes Brian Byrne. And a similar limit for all built-up and urban areas is on track for introduction before the end of next March.

Both items were noted in a response at the recent full meeting of the council to a motion from Cllr Pat Balfe seeking a review of road safety in rural residential areas. The councillor said that increased traffic, particularly in older villages, is creating safety concerns for families.

The response also noted that a Road Safety Working Together Group (RSWTG) is being established, and will provide a collaborative forum through which key stakeholders, including An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority, Kildare Fire Service, and the local authority, can share information on road safety issues. 

A meeting of the RSWTG will be convened in the near future, the meeting was told, at which the issue of road safety in rural residential areas can be raised for further discussion and consideration.

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Garda holiday road safety campaign begins

An Garda Síochána in Kildare has launched a major road safety operation for the June Bank Holiday weekend, running from Thursday 28 May to Tuesday 2 June 2026, writes Brian Byrne. Ahead of the busy holiday period, drivers are urged to slow down, put their phones away and never drive under the influence. 

Enforcement activity will be significantly increased across the county, targeting so‑called “Lifesaver Offences” including drink and drug driving, speeding, mobile phone use while driving, seatbelt offences, and dangerous or careless driving.

The operation will focus on the times and locations where the risk of serious collisions is highest. Gardaí are warning that motorists who choose to drink or take drugs and drive, speed, or use their phone behind the wheel should expect to be stopped.

Gardai stress that one bad decision can have devastating consequences for families, communities and emergency services.

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