Julianstown Traffic Page

Julianstown Traffic Disgrace

Just over two years since the M1 motorway was opened, recent figures released by the NRA show just how little difference this €246M road scheme has made to the lives of people living in Julianstown and Drogheda on the route of the old N1 (now R132). The figures paint a picture of scandalously poor planning:

• Julianstown still has daily traffic volumes almost double that of well known traffic blackspots such as Abbeyleix, Mitchelstown or Ballinasloe.

• NRA promised a reduction of 15000 vehicles per day from the pre M1 level of 24666, "effectively bypassing Julianstown". Currently reduction is only 4000.

• Average weekday traffic volumes are 20400 and climbing.

• Towns such as Nenagh and Donegal town have had by-passes built to cater for traffic volumes three times less than Julianstown.

• HGV volumes fell only marginally post-M1 until a deal was done to reduce tolls and even still 1500 HGVs a day use Julianstown.

• Total volumes grew 6% between 2004 and 2005. Non-HGV volumes increased 8% however. (Most major roads in Ireland saw 8-15% increase in this period).

• If the traffic volume keeps growing at this pace traffic will be at pre-M1 levels by the end of 2007.

• There is no known plan to by-pass Julianstown in anticipation of increasing volumes.

• The traffic calming plan as drafted does not included traffic lights but only pelican crossings. There will be no lights in the centre of the village. It remains to be seen what the effect will be, but it seems that any development in the village is specifically designed not to reduce traffic volumes or speed.

Trucks

We have a separate page dedicated to our friends the truckers, click here