Galway City Council is continuing to make great inroads in terms of the development of parks across the city with the latest opened just off the Barna Road on Sunday. However, questions have rightly been raised about the safety of children accessing the park, with no pedestrian crossing connecting the nearby Knocknacarra to the site.

Time and again across the county, it seems we are great at progressing building developments, be they parks, housing estates or commercial enterprises, but when it comes to basics, such as basic road infrastructure, lighting, paths and pedestrian walkways, we sometimes appear to be operating in the hope that 'if we build it, they will come'. The problem is the basics are often slow to follow, putting public safety at risk.

A couple of weeks ago the Galway Independent ran with a story about the redevelopment of the Briarhill Shopping Centre, outlining residents' concerns that the development was being prioritised at the neglect of local infrastructural needs. Locals are concerned about traffic in the area and have also raised concerns about traffic lights and footpaths.

This week, we report on a similar situation with residents in the Knocknacarra area concerned about the safety of their children crossing the busy Barna road to access the new Barna Lough Rusheen Park. The general public were invited to the launch on Sunday, many of whom will have travelled from nearby Knocknacarra. However, for those travelling on foot, what was immediately noticeable because of its absence was a safe pedestrian crossing from Knocknacarra to the new park. While we are assured a pedestrian crossing is to follow, it seems remiss to go ahead with the opening of the park in the absence of such basics.

Also, this week a Galway City Councillor outlined her concerns about the availability of lollipop ladies to put children across busy roads in Ballybane and Mervue.

While road traffic accidents continue to preoccupy the headlines in this country, with 294 deaths so far this year, including two small children, who died in a road traffic accident in Longford on Monday night, every precaution must be taken to ensure that people are not put in danger. We need to stop putting the cart before the horse. It starts with the basics.

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