Safety Concerns for Larne Shoppers - Beggs

Local Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has expressed his concern at the amount of pedestrians using the hard shoulder of the A8 Harbour Highway to walk to and from the new Larne Asda Store at Redlands from the town centre.

Commenting, Mr Beggs said:
"The new Asda store is proving to be very popular with shoppers and is undoubtedly contributing to reducing the retail leakage of people leaving Larne to do their big weekly food shop in other towns. However, I am concerned at the continuing lack of safe pedestrian linkages between the supermarket and the town centre.

A busy bus system has been instigated to serve the Asda store, but for some reason this does not operate at the weekend. As a consequence, and particularly on a Saturday, many people, including those with Asda uniforms, are walking to the store along the hard shoulder on the lagoon side of the Harbour Highway . Clearly this is both contrary to the Highway Code and potentially highly dangerous. There is a footpath behind the cash barrier on the opposite side of the dual carriageway, but to get to the Supermarket and Hotel involves crossing 4 lanes of a busy A class Road."

The East Antrim MLA added:

"The lack of a safe pedestrian and cycle link will become more acute when the proposed and much anticipated Cinema and restaurants are opened at Redlands . Therefore I have made representations to the DRD Roads Service and others to look into the feasibility of providing a walkway from Redlands to the town centre, at the edge of the lagoon as a matter of urgency.

I believe this issue should have been addressed at the time of the planning application; given the situation that has arisen since Asda has opened, it certainly needs to be addressed now."

ENDS