CONCERN is mounting over road safety on the Suffolk Road after a series of accidents outside at a T-junction beside a block of shops and offices.
Michael Doherty, Centre Manager at Glen Community Parent Youth Group, said the road outside his place of work is becoming increasingly dangerous and has been the site of several accidents and near-misses this year.
Michael said the problem is being caused by a combination of driver speed on the Suffolk Road and the sightline of motorists emerging from Derryveagh Mews being blocked by cars parked outside the shops and offices.
SAFETY: Concerns have been raised over vehicles parking in front of the shops hindering drivers coming out of Derryveagh Mews
Michael said they have brought the issue up repeatedly with the Department of Infrastructure but after an initial meeting five months ago, there has been no response.
"We've given them a number of scenarios which would ease the pressure and improve safety such as installing barriers outside the shop to prevent cars parking there," said Michael. "We've suggested painting the yellow lines further up, different crossings outside the shop and also speed bumps to slow down traffic heading down the hill but they said no to each of our suggestions and we've heard nothing since.
"We're now asking for some political pressure to be put on the Department so we can get this sorted out. Every day we walk out here and we see the cars trying to pull out of Derryveagh and the cars parked in front of the Premier shop and the tanning shop – they nudge out and nudge out and then there's an accident."
Michael added they are asking for solutions which were provided in previous years further down the road near the Paddy Power bookmakers, where railings proved effective after a number of accidents.
"So far they've rejected all of our proposals. We've a day care here and there are currently over 200 children with us and we asked for the lights which they have outside schools to get traffic to slow down, but they told us that we're not a school so we couldn't have them."
A spokesperson for the Department of Infrastructure said: “The Department has received a recent request to meet local representatives and the management of Glen Community Centre about issues of illegal parking and speeding on the Suffolk Road. Officials are currently giving consideration to the issues raised and will respond in due course.”
Local Sinn Féin Councillor Arder Carson said getting road safety precautions installed on the road was a high priority and the party would speak to the DfI to press local concerns.
"Sinn Féin have met the Department on a number of occasions around road safety on the Suffolk Road and we are 100 per cent supportive of something being done," he said.
"There are new developments on that end of the Suffolk Road which have increased the number of people living on the road and the houses are one side of the road with the shops on the other, so we believe the requirement for road safety infrastructure is paramount to people can access the amenities safely.
"We will be happy to contact DfI and ask for a site meeting in the near future to discuss getting some road safety infrastructure in place and we will bring some political pressure to bear because it's essential that infrastructure is put in place."
