Safety and accessibility concerns raised over barrier erected at Tipperary woodland

Government and local authority decision-making around access to Glengarra Woods must be urgently reviewed before a serious accident occurs, according to Aontú Cahir member Stephen Sherlock.

Mr Sherlock has raised serious concerns about a recently installed barrier at the popular walking area, warning that it is creating unnecessary and dangerous conditions for visitors, children, and road users.

“Glengarra Woods is a scenic and well-used amenity for both locals and tourists, yet the new barrier now prevents buses, wheelchair-accessible vans and other larger vehicles from accessing the designated safe parking and disembarkation area.

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“As a result, visitors are being forced to park along both sides of a busy road and walk into the woods, which is completely unacceptable from a safety point of view,” said Stephen.

He highlighted a recent incident where hundreds of children were visiting the woods as part of a scouts group, with five or more 52-seater buses forced to park along the roadside.

“This created a very real danger for those children, their leaders, and motorists using the road,” he said.

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Mr Sherlock warned that the knock-on effects of the barrier are compounding risks and excluding vulnerable users.

Vehicles attempting to exit the woods onto the main road now have their line of sight severely restricted due to roadside parking, while passing traffic is being forced to slow suddenly, increasing the likelihood of collisions.

“All of this flies in the face of the constant focus we hear about road safety,” he said.

He also raised serious concerns about accessibility, noting that people with disabilities travelling in wheelchair-accessible vans were unable to gain access to the woods at all.

“Denying safe access to people with mobility issues is completely unacceptable and raises serious questions about inclusivity and equality,” he added.

Mr Sherlock told The Nationalist that his own mother, who is a wheelchair user, would find it difficult to access the woods, even after parking before the barrier.

Mr Sherlock said the current arrangement makes little sense, pointing out that a previous system, where the barrier was in place only during night-time hours, successfully balanced safety, access and protection of the area.

“That arrangement worked, and it should be reinstated without delay,” he said.

He concluded by calling for immediate action before the situation escalates. “We should not be waiting for a serious incident or injury before action is taken. Glengarra Woods should be safe and accessible for everyone, especially families, organised youth groups and people with disabilities.

“I am calling for the immediate reversal of this decision and a return to the previous set-up. Public safety and accessibility must come before box-ticking or poorly considered restrictions” he finished.

Coillte, the State-owned forestry and land management company, which manages Glengarra Woods, said that since erecting the barriers before last summer, the organisation has received only two official complaints.

A spokesperson said one of the main reasons for installing the barrier was issues with caravans pulling in and camping overnight.

Under Coillte bye-laws, camping and overnight parking are not permitted in forest recreational areas, including Glengarra Woods.

“We received a lot of complaints about wastewater being dumped in the woods in relation to people camping,” they explained.

“When we put in the barrier, we opened the overhead barrier in the overflow car park just up the road, where people can park whenever they want,” the spokesperson said.

They added that for organised events where buses require access, Coillte can open the barrier in advance, provided the event is licensed and insurance documentation is supplied.

“In terms of buses being at the side of the road, I haven’t witnessed that yet myself,” explained the spokesperson.

At 1.9 metres, the barrier still allows standard vans to pass underneath, although taller vehicles cannot. The spokesperson noted that people can also park at the entrance before the barrier if required.

“There are four entrances to Glengarra Woods,” they said, adding that a review may be needed if an accessible path from the overflow car park to the woods is required.