I want to make residents of Hazel Lane in Drogheda aware that a public consultation process has now commenced on proposed traffic calming measures within the estate. This follows a detailed presentation delivered to East Meath councillors at our most recent Council meeting and marks an important opportunity for residents to have their views heard on an issue that directly affects daily life in the area.
Meath County Council has confirmed to me that Hazel Lane has been selected for traffic calming following the results of speed surveys carried out within the estate. These surveys identified a persistent problem with vehicles travelling in excess of the 30 km per hour speed limit. Speeding within residential estates is a serious concern, particularly where there are children, older residents, pedestrians and cyclists using the road network every day.
Based on these findings, the Council is now proposing to introduce two traffic calming chicanes along the Avenue in Hazel Lane. The purpose of these measures is to slow traffic, improve driver behaviour and encourage greater compliance with the existing speed limit. Chicanes are designed to reduce vehicle speeds by altering the flow of traffic and have been used successfully in many residential areas to improve safety.
It is important to stress that no final decision has been made at this stage. The current process is a public consultation, which means residents have a real opportunity to review the proposals and make submissions or observations directly to the Council. Drawings and full details of the proposed Traffic Calming Scheme are available to view on the Meath County Council website under the “Notices and Events” section.
The consultation will remain open until close of business on Friday, 23 January 2026. During this time, residents can share their views by emailing the Council’s Transport Section at transport@meathcoco.ie. Submissions can support the proposals, suggest changes, or raise concerns — all feedback forms part of the decision-making process.
I strongly encourage residents of Hazel Lane to engage with this consultation. Local knowledge is invaluable, and those who live in the estate every day are best placed to comment on how traffic behaves, where issues arise and what measures may or may not work in practice. Meaningful community input helps ensure that any final solution is appropriate, proportionate and effective.
Once the consultation period closes, I will carefully review all feedback received from residents. I will then represent those views in my ongoing engagement with Meath County Council as the proposals are assessed and any next steps are considered. My role is to ensure that the voices of local people are clearly heard and that decisions are made in the best interests of the community.
Road safety within residential areas is something I take very seriously. While traffic calming measures can be effective, it is essential that they are implemented in a way that reflects the character of the estate and the needs of residents. That is why this consultation process is so important and why I want to see strong participation from the community.
Hazel Lane is a well-established residential area, and measures that improve safety and quality of life must be carefully thought through. Whether residents feel strongly in favour of the proposals or have concerns they wish to raise, this is the appropriate forum to do so.
I will continue to keep residents informed as this process moves forward and will provide updates once the consultation has concluded and the Council outlines its next steps. In the meantime, I encourage everyone in Hazel Lane to review the proposals and make their views known by the January deadline.
Your engagement makes a difference, and I am committed to representing your views throughout this process.