Roxborough on the Wexford to Rosslare road. Pic: Jim Campbell
Almost six months after the opening of a new supermarket in the area it has been confirmed that a safety crossing is to be installed at Rocksborough on the Rosslare Road. Due to be constructed outside the Lidl store, which opened in July of last year, the crossing will provide additional safety for residents in a part of Wexford town which has seen a number of new housing developments in recent years.
At the December meeting of the Wexford Borough District, senior engineer Lar Lett confirmed that a contractor had been appointed to carry out the works and the crossing would be installed in the coming weeks.
Having previously raised concerns about the safety of pedestrians in Rocksborough, Councillor Tom Forde said the new crossing was well overdue and should have been installed before the supermarket was built.
“This crossing will significantly improve safety for pedestrians, particularly for families, older residents and those with mobility difficulties who currently have to navigate a very busy stretch of road,” he said. “While I welcome this progress, it is important that essential pedestrian infrastructure such as crossings should be delivered in advance of, or at the very least alongside, the construction of large-scale retail developments.
“They should be a standard requirement within planning permissions, not something that communities have to campaign for after a supermarket has already opened and traffic volumes have increased.”
With more housing projects scheduled for Wexford town in the coming months, Cllr Forde has urged developers to ensure “vital infrastructure” is delivered in tandem with any new estates.
“As Wexford continues to grow, we must ensure that development is planned in a way that prioritises safety, accessibility and sustainable transport from the outset. Installing vital infrastructure after the fact is neither efficient nor acceptable, particularly when the risks to pedestrians are already well known.
“I will continue to advocate for a more proactive approach to planning, ensuring that future developments are required to include the necessary pedestrian and road safety measures from day one.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.