The €5.5 million Tramore Ring Road Active Travel Scheme is nearing completion, as local stakeholders were given an opportunity to see the progress made to date.

A group recently took part in a walk along the route, where they were able to view the new infrastructure, discuss the project and ask questions about the works.

Waterford City and County Council says most of the work is now complete, with substantial completion expected in the coming weeks.

The scheme, funded by the National Transport Authority and being delivered by the Council, covers approximately 3.2 kilometres of the Ring Road between the Riverstown Roundabout and Newtown Hill Road Roundabout.

It includes a dedicated two-way cycle track, safer connections to nearby schools, new and improved pedestrian crossings and bus stops, improved links to existing footpaths and changes aimed at making junctions safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

During the recent walk, local residents, including schoolchildren, were seen making use of the new infrastructure.

However, the delivery of the scheme has not been without concern locally, with issues raised during the works around their impact on motorists, businesses, pedestrians and people living in the area.

Changes to the Ring Road have also required adjustments as the project has progressed.

As previously reported by WLR, new road markings introduced at the Monvoy Roundabout were removed after driver behaviour showed that a trial single-lane layout was not operating as intended.

The markings had been introduced several weeks earlier and were designed to encourage motorists to use a single circulation lane around the roundabout, in line with its single-lane entrances and exits.

Monvoy had been selected as a trial location, with similar road markings initially planned for the other three large roundabouts along the Tramore Ring Road.

The Council is now approaching the final stages of the wider Active Travel Scheme, which is designed to provide improved infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists along the route.

Concerns raised over cracks in newly laid footpath

Concerns have also been raised after cracks appeared along a section of newly laid footpath forming part of the Tramore Ring Road Active Travel Scheme.

The footpath has only been in place for a number of months, with Cllr Jim Griffin questioning whether there is sufficient oversight of works from the procurement stage through to their completion and sign-off.

He also raised concerns about how the quality of works is inspected and who is responsible for ensuring they remain fit for purpose in the years following completion.

Cllr Griffin acknowledged that he is not an expert on the cause of the cracking, but said the issue should be examined and addressed before the works are formally signed off.