Gorey Councillor Calls For Traffic Flaggers To Replace Timed Traffic Lights Amid Roadwork Chaos

A Gorey councillor is calling for traffic flaggers to be used instead of timed traffic lights at roadworks in the town, as motorists face delays of up to an hour travelling from one side of Gorey to the other.

Fine Gael Councillor Darragh McDonald says a number of major road projects are taking place simultaneously, resulting in significant congestion across the town.

The ongoing works on Esmonde Street, which began in July last year, are continuing alongside Irish Water projects near several local schools.

Resurfacing works are also taking place on the Arklow Road, leaving motorists with very few routes into and out of the town.

Councillor McDonald says the situation is causing people to arrive late for work and children to miss the start of the school day.

He believes better coordination between Wexford County Council and utility companies could have prevented much of the disruption.

One of his main concerns is the use of timed traffic lights at Irish Water works, rather than traffic flaggers who can respond to changing traffic conditions.

He says he recently witnessed motorists waiting up to ten minutes for traffic lights to change.

Councillor McDonald claims the conditions attached to road opening licences require flaggers to be in place and is calling on the relevant authorities to ensure those requirements are followed.

He says having someone physically managing traffic is particularly important during rush hour and school drop-off and collection times.

He's also calling for regular meetings between Wexford County Council and utility companies to discuss upcoming projects and ensure major roadworks are properly staggered.

Councillor McDonald says the current disruption is more than an inconvenience, with concerns that people are now avoiding Gorey and shopping in other towns.

That could become a further issue for local businesses in the run-up to Christmas.

The Esmonde Street works have also been extended, with completion now expected in June rather than Easter.

Meanwhile, Councillor McDonald says there is still a lack of clarity around the timeline for other Irish Water works, including resurfacing due to take place next week.

He says the town cannot sustain the current level of disruption and is calling for better communication, planning and accountability from all agencies involved.