A FERMANAGH driving instructor believes it’s ‘a miracle’ that there hasn’t been ‘a major accident’ in Enniskillen due to the faded road markings.
Through the town, there is an increasing issue with the ‘yellow boxes’, with the lines marking out the junction box appearing so faint that it is nearly impossible to distinguish on the road surface.
Philip Hughes, a local driving instructor, feels that these ‘need highlighting more’.
“I think what the DFI [Department for Infrastructure] one hundred percent need to improve on is the road markings,” said Philip from Philips Drivetime, “imagine it’s your first time driving through Enniskillen, coming in from Sligo, heading over the second bridge for Omagh, there are no road markings to aim for Donegal-Omagh-Town Centre, on a faded box junction.”
The Irvinestown instructor is a regular driver in Enniskillen and he insists that the lack of road markings is a major issue in the town.
“When you’re passing the police station towards the library roundabout, the sign says that both lanes go straight, yet the road markings approaching the roundabout state left only, which means a lot of drivers get caught out.
“Then, coming down from the [St Michael’s Church] chapel approaching the library roundabout, markings are none existent in the left lane. Then, out the Dublin Road passing Lilley’s, it looks like one big wide lane, but then the arrow appears to return left.
“For a tourist town, it’s a miracle there hasn’t been a major accident with the amount of passing traffic,” said Philip.
The driving tutor feels that the absence of proper road markings, and in particular the yellow box junctions, is having an impact on the major traffic congestion issue in Enniskillen.
“It only causes frustration to other drivers moving off when someone is sitting in it, [the yellow box]” he explains.
“The bigger question though is why has the traffic not been able to clear the box? Normally this is a result further down that road, with drivers illegally parked or delivery drivers doing their deliveries with nowhere else to stop.
“Some drivers don’t actually understand yellow box junctions. You actually are allowed to enter and wait, so long as your exit road is clear, even if the red light comes back on, so long as you crossed the line when the light was green.”
The Herald contacted the Department for Infrastructure for comment, and a spokesperson for the DFI said; “The Department is aware of the concerns raised and is currently working with our contractor to renew all road markings throughout Fermanagh.”
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