Local resident Maeve Kelly, who has lived on the road for the past four years, said her four young children play outside every day, which is a positive aspect of their community.
However, she is concerned for their safety due to the fast-moving cars that frequently use the road to bypass traffic congestion in the wider area.
“We’ve been here for four years, and I think it was an issue before we moved in. The community is great, and the kids play outside every day, which isn’t something you find on every road,” she said.
“It’s the only road off the seafront that doesn’t have speed bumps or signs, and it’s ridiculous there aren’t safety measures in the place where kids play.
“The latest speed study was conducted at a part of the road where there tends to be a lot of parked cars, so traffic naturally slows down. It really wasn’t indicative of the actual situation.
Residents on Seapark Drive have taken matters into their own hands by purchasing ‘Go Slow’ signs
“It’s frustrating that when we reached out to Dublin City Council about the overturned decision, I didn’t even get a reply. It feels cheeky, and it shouldn’t take a near miss for them to act.
“We shouldn’t have to wait for accidents to happen before something is done. Parents are saying there are a lot of kids in danger – shouldn’t that be enough?” she added.
Independent councillor Barry Heneghan, recently visited residents in the the area, which is home to 75 young children.
He said the Transport Advisory Group conducted the latest speed test, on a Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2022, which indicated an 85pc speed percentile of 33.2 km/h.
“While this may seem acceptable at first glance, it’s crucial to recognise that the test was conducted in an area where parked cars naturally slow down traffic,” he said.
“This does not accurately reflect the conditions during peak hours when the road is used as a rat run, often resulting in dangerously high speeds.
“We cannot afford to wait for an accident to happen before we take action. Our community has already witnessed several near misses, highlighting the urgent need for speed bumps on Seapark Drive.
A sign created by local children appealing to drivers to ‘Tóg go bog é’ (take it easy)
“I have reached out to the relevant authorities to request a second, more comprehensive speed test.
“The residents have even taken matters into their own hands by purchasing ‘Go Slow’ signs, demonstrating their commitment to keeping our children safe,” he added.
Dublin City Council had communicated to the residents of Seapark Drive that ramps had been “refused” in April of this year.
Sara Nolan, another mother living on Seapark Drive, said they don’t have a green area, so the kids have to play near the road.
“There have been near misses; one example was a kid who came out from behind a car, and a driver had to slam on the brakes and started beeping at them. It’s just not safe,” she said.
