Unsalted west Kildare road is in limbo

A four-kilometre length of road is in bureacratic limbo because it goes from one of Kildare’s neighbouring counties into another, but for those four kilometres, passes through Kildare.

The R401 goes from the outskirts of Edenderry eventually to Kinnegad in Co.Westmeath, but shortly after it leaves Edenderry, it enters Kildare.

Four kilometres later, or five minutes at a reasonable speed, it crosses over the Boyne river and enters Meath.

Speaking at Clane Area Committee meeting last Tuesday, November 12, Cllr. Seamus Langan explained that Meath County Council salt the road as far as Meath, and Offaly County Council salt it as far as the Kildare border, but nobody salts the bit in between.

Although a relatively minor road, it is of significant importance to the local area, and nearby townslands and villages. Council officials assured Cllr. Langan they would approach the neighbouring county councils and fund them to salt the extra four kilometres.

This was, officials explained, a common practice in situations like this.

They added that the road was not on the Council’s regular salting routes – and therefore it would not make sense for them to go out of their way just for four kilometres.