‘Crazy’ number of accidents on the N25 this Summer

A large number of accidents have taken place on the N25 this summer.

In the past number of weeks, a serious accident involving a motorcycle took place, along with a separate three-car collision.

Earlier this summer, a woman in her 20s died on the N25 at Barntown, Co Wexford, following a collision. In a separate incident, a women in her 70s died last month following a collision with a truck near Dungarvan.

The recurring issues on the road were raised at a recent meeting of Waterford Councillors, who voiced concerns regarding the road’s safety.

Speaking at the meeting this week, Cllr Tom Cronin (FF) said: “At Cleary’s Cross, there was an accident again last week. A motorbike ran into the back of a car. I was talking to a few of the fire brigade and they couldn’t figure out how the man survived. How he didn’t get killed no one knows and there is a history of accidents on that stretch there.

“We need to get cracking on this. The TII needs to be brought in to this and we have to explain our case, they have to look at the amount of accidents there. It’s crazy."

Cllr Conor McGuinness (SF) added: “It’s exceptionally dangerous. Over the summer there’s been a huge amount of accidents on the N25."

Cllr McGuinness said that the road should be placed within the National Development Plan: “The National Development Plan, that’s where we need to be at. It’s a fright that it hasn’t happened yet, and that the N25 is not on that. I think it’s a failure."

Responding to the comments made by Councillors, Senior Engineer with Waterford City and County Council, Gabriel Hynes, said that the N25 "needs to be prioritised". 

“We have some improvement works carried out at Kiely’s cross, at Fleming’s bar we have improved sightlines to an extent," he said. "Considering the traffic on the N25 and that you have right turn movements, you have a high risk of accidents.

“We need the N25 to be upgraded. We as an executive have discussed that with TII in the past and their view is it needs to be put on the National Development Plan going forward.

“They have indicated to me unofficially that this will be driven at ministerial and government level and the N25 needs to be prioritized.”

Additionally, the Ardmore bus issue persists on the road. Since the start of the academic year, parents of pupils travelling from Ardmore to secondary school in Dungarvan have been required to drive to the pick-up point at Kiely’s Cross on the N25.

Cllr Conor McGuinness brought forward a motion at the recent meeting which called on Minister of Education Norma Foley to make a public school bus service available for secondary school students coming from Dungarvan into Ardmore.