'Respect residents' - locals protest outside Waterford's City Hall over proposed road alterations
Residents from Lower Newtown and the surrounding area protest outside City Hall over a proposed one-way system in their area. Photo: Joe Evans
Locals gathered in protest outside City Hall last Friday, objecting to a proposed trial, which would alter roads in the Newtown area of the city.
Starting from the end of August, Waterford City and County Council will be trialing a one-way system on Passage Road/Wilkin’s Street.
The test will include making Passage Road one-way from the junction with Wilkin’s Street. At this junction, all traffic will be allowed to turn left or right.
Wilkin's Street will also be one-way, meaning drivers will only be able to turn onto Wilkin's Street from the Lower Newtown Road.
At the top of St. Alphonsus Road, all traffic can only turn right towards John's Hill, and traffic travelling up John's Hill will not be permitted to turn left along Passage Road.
In May, locals living in the area wrote to the Council voicing concerns with the proposed plans, and last week, five residents met with Senior Engineer with Waterford City and County Council, Paul Johnston.
The residents say that their concerns were not taken on board, and the trial is still set to commence.
“The displacement effect on John's Hill, Lower Newtown Road, St. Alphonsus Road without an eight-school plan area was expressed as our greatest objection to the current plan,” resident George Wright said.
He added that schools expanding has exacerbated the traffic issues in the area.
"The Council have brought these traffic problems onto themselves by granting the extensions to the schools. What is needed and requested previously is a comprehensive plan for the entire area to facilitate the traffic management problem created by the schools."
Various other problems presented by residents at this meeting were cited as including "the unacceptable chaos created by the school traffic, air pollution and parking issues".
Road accidents have been occurring and residents have been unable to access their homes, they say.
The plan, which the Council is intending to trial, is not "comprehensive" enough to solve such issues, residents say.
Mr Wright added that there have been communication difficulties with the council, and residents were not given proper notice of the trial.
“Forcing through this one-way system without due regard to the residents, we consider totally unacceptable," he said.
"We think this is unfair to go ahead. We would like one-way traffic, but it needs to be done in a comprehensive way."
Donning signs, which read "One Way, No Way!" and "Respect Residents", locals gathered outside City Hall last week in protest, following numerous attempts to resolve the issue directly with Council staff.
Resident Cora Wymberry said that communication has been a key issue, and so a protest was organised in an attempt to sway the Council's decision to commence the trial.
Ms Wymberry said that locals feel confused and let down by the proposed plans.
"Us as a group of residents want this situation to improve, but it has to be a considered plan, it can't be sticking a plaster over a big issue to see what happens.
"We don’t know why these streets were selected to be altered and we don’t know what the metrics are for measuring the success of this scheme.
"With all their expertise and all their professional people, is this all the Council can come up with?"
She added that residents feel that current plans are "vague and wooly".
"There's nothing tangible backing these plans up. There's no real date in place or evidence to inform it."
Cllr David Daniels, who has been campaigning alongside residents on the issue, told the Waterford News & Star last week that it is disappointing that residents have not had their correspondence taken into account by Waterford Council.
"It is disappointing that it has come to this," he said, "and that the council wouldn’t take on board the concerns of the residents.
"The residents and the schools have lived side by side for many, many years and it's very disappointing to see this situation occurring and that the council doesn’t seem to be listening.
"I'm trying to do my best to represent the constituents in the area, and relay my views to try get the Council to listen, and I'm disappointed by the way the whole process is being done."
