A controversial pair of cycle lanes connecting two small villages in Ireland has seen more than 40 road incidents reported since its construction, according to a local residents’ association.

The 3km-long project on the R448, between the villages of Moone and Timolin in south Kildare, are reported to have cost around €1.6 million (£1.41 million). They form part of a pilot initiative supported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland for the construction of a National Cycling Network. However, this cycle lane does not yet connect to any other section of the network.

The project has been criticised as a “North Korea-style project” by local residents for both the lack of local demand, and the road narrowing that has made conditions too narrow for combine harvesters. A protest was held against the cycle lane project earlier this year and attracted the support of local residents and cycling campaigners who said they wouldn’t be using the cycle lane.

Kildare R448 cycle lane protest
Kildare R448 cycle lane protest (Image Credit: The Road to Nowhere/Facebook)

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Construction work is close to finishing and recent debate in council meetings has centred on the proposed speed limit once the construction work is finished, when the restrictions are due to rise from 60kph (37mph) to 80kph (50mph).

At a recent meeting, chairperson of the Moone and Timolin Positive Action Group, Mark Hilliard, reported 42 road traffic incidents to elected councillors. The incidents include drivers hitting the cycle lane kerb and puncturing, cars breaking down and not having a hard shoulder on which to pull over, the Kildare Nationalist reported.

“Despite repeated attempts to communicate with Kildare County Council, the community in Moone and Timolin have been ignored at every turn.” Hilliard said.

“We re-iterate that this project has made a safe road dangerous with many incidents recorded during the construction phase and still no interest from TII and Kildare County Council. The sheer waste of public money is, and I use the word advisedly, shocking.

“We pray there will not be a fatal incident” he added.

Irish state broadcaster RTE reports that the villages have fewer than 300 residents. Bill Clear, an independent Kildare County councillor, admitted to the channel that the decision not to link the cycle lane to other cycle routes was “daft” but added he believes residents “will see the advantages of it”.

“It makes it safer for walkers and cyclists on this road. We have a lot of people who are killed in rural Ireland out walking and cycling. This gives them a level of safety, a level of segregation.

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“The only way we’re going to slow people down on these kind of roads is to engineer the problem away by putting in these interventions so people have to slow down,” Cllr Clear said.

At a council meeting, councillors also expressed concern for the lack of visibility on the road and called for better lighting to be installed along the R448.

In a statement, Transport Infrastructure Ireland said the cycle lanes will continue to be assessed.

“The scheme has been designed in line with all relevant standards and has already undergone independent road safety audits, with another audit due once construction is complete.

“The project went through a statutory process of the Road Traffic Act, which included a public consultation and public engagement will continue once the project is concluded as part of the assessment process.”