Fianna Fáil councillor Eamon Quinlan has criticised Waterford City and County Council for refusing to carry out a Tramore active travel safety audit at a junction near Holy Cross National School.

Cllr. Quinlan raised the issue at the most recent Metropolitan District meeting after receiving complaints from parents about changes made by the Active Travel Team at the junction where Elm Park meets the Coast Road. He said the junction has narrowed significantly as part of ongoing ring road works.

Cllr. Quinlan told the meeting that parents reported dangerous manoeuvres at the traffic lights outside the school.

He said cars attempting to turn into the school require vehicles exiting the junction to pull forward beyond the lights and onto the main road, forcing drivers to break red lights to allow traffic to pass.

He stressed that parents did not oppose the objectives of active travel but questioned whether the council had tightened the junction too much and created a safety risk for children and parents.

Cllr. Quinlan called for the council’s area engineers to conduct an independent health and safety review of the junction.

The council executive responded by stating that the works meet required standards and do not pose a danger to the public.

Officials said they would refer the concerns back to the Active Travel Team but refused to allow a separate council safety audit, saying they would not allow the issue to become an “us versus them” situation.

“Disappointing”

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr. Quinlan said he found the refusal deeply disappointing. He argued that independent checks form a normal and necessary part of infrastructure delivery, especially when public safety concerns arise near a school.

He said the council will ultimately inherit the roads and footpaths once the Active Travel Team completes the project, making early intervention both logical and responsible.

Cllr. Quinlan added that addressing issues during construction would prevent larger and more costly interventions in the future.

Cllr. Quinlan also warned that refusing to carry out safety audits ignores public feedback and risks leaving dangerous layouts in place for years. He said fixing issues now would cost far less than redesigning junctions later using local council funds.

Works along the Coast Road in Tramore remain ongoing, with construction currently progressing from the roundabout to Fenor towards the Clarinwood Roundabout.

The scheme is due to extend down to the Waterford Road in early 2026.

Speaking to WLR, Cllr. Quinlan said the council executive must show greater openness to criticism and community feedback.

He said he remains concerned that safety warnings are being dismissed during an active construction phase and said early action would better protect children, parents and taxpayers.

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