The traffic chaos in Drogheda seems to get worse by the day. There is no way of knowing whether a trip across town will take ten minutes or forty.
Driving the length of the North Quay can take up to twenty minutes depending on how many ships are being loaded or unloaded in the port and how many HGVs are being disgorged from there.
Not only is it extremely frustrating but it is the cause of much wasted time and, for some people at least, time is money.
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster says that traffic light sequencing is a large part of the problem and has called on Louth County Council to urgently address the situation.
Gridlock can happen anywhere in Drogheda at any time of day but Deputy Munster specifically mentioned St Mary’s Bridge, and the junction of Trinity Street and George’s Street.
“There have been recent changes to the sequencing of traffic lights at certain junctions in Drogheda that are causing traffic chaos” Deputy Munster said.
“It’s not a matter of traffic volume, it’s traffic management, and it needs to be sorted as a matter of urgency. Where before we would have congestion at rush hour and in the evenings, now it’s constant.
“The change to the sequencing of traffic lights at the dual carriageway at the junction of Trinity Street and George’s Street means that when the lights turn green, only three or four vehicles can move through at the bridge before the lights turn red at George’s Street Lower.
“This results in traffic jams right across the dual carriageway which has a knock-on effect on the Donore Road and the Rathmullen Road, including at weekends.
“There is a similar issue with sequencing of traffic lights at St Mary’s Bridge which has created a significant bottleneck in our road network, and has left the Dublin Road resembling a car park from early afternoon until late evening.
“The lights on the north side of the bridge are red when the lights on the south side of the bridge are green. Traffic from the South Quay and John Street fill the bridge before right-turning cars trying to cross the bridge from James’ Street attempt to cross. This creates tailbacks the length of the Dublin Road.
“My office has been inundated with complaints from frustrated motorists – including parents on the school run, delivery drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, postal workers and others in the business community.
“The council needs to prioritise the re-examination of these junctions in terms of traffic management, in particular the operation of the traffic lights.
“Fixing this problem would go a long way in terms of improving traffic flow in the town, and must be done as a matter of urgency, particularly as we head into the busy Christmas season.”
