A MOTHER of two young children fears that it will take a death or serious injury before those responsible take action to make the road she lives on safer for those using it, as well as those living on it.

Cathy McGovern, lives at the Ballyconnell Road in Derrylin, where a lorry ended up on its side in her garden on Tuesday.

It is believed a lorry heading in the opposite direction swung out as it came around the bend, forcing the driver to take evasive action to avoid a collision, which left it in the trees in Cathy’s front garden.

A bad corner at the foot of a small hill makes it a dangerous place for vehicles to meet and, with a constant flow of heavy traffic on the road, Cathy wants action taken before the worst happens.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, Cathy said it was lucky that there were no other cars on the road or that any of her family were in the garden at the time.

“If it wasn’t the lorry driver’s fault, that is unfortunate, but it’d be a lot more unfortunate if we were sitting in the car or another family was coming around the corner when he’d come around it.

“It was just lucky there was nobody coming. It happened around the corner a couple of weeks ago – the exact same thing, and it was lucky again [that nobody was injured].

“Do I have to stand at the side of the road crying with a picture of a dead child [before something is done]?”

Cathy has spoken to Roads Service before, but nothing has been done, and she wants the issue dealt with.

“Everybody’s passing the buck. I’m not prepared to just sit and wait for people to go about their business.

“The road’s not fit for purpose for the amount of traffic on this road, you know, the amount of lorries [the road bears], and the amount of heavy, seriously heavy traffic,” Cathy explained.

“A couple of years ago, another massive articulated lorry hit the same verge and it went off to the other side of the road, just across from the house.

“Two weeks ago, a massive articulated lorry came around and did the exact same thing, only around the corner on the other side, and went across the road again and crashed into our trees, just around the corner.”

Unfortunately for Cathy and her family, crashes at their house have become all too common over the years.

As well as the road layout, speed is another issue, which is making this stretch of road all the more dangerous.

Drivers on phones

Cathy has even witnessed drivers on their phones while coming round the corner.

“When we’re upstairs, you can just see, in particular, drivers of the big, articulated lorries on their phones.

“You wouldn’t believe the amount of them. They’re coming around corners, just looking at their phones – never mind looking at what they’re meeting on the road.

“That stuff is just constant, but there’s no police there. Never, so far; I’ve never seen anybody out watching traffic and behaviour. And the cars [drivers] are as bad.”

Cathy said she doesn’t know how there has not been a more serious incident, and says it is not just the lorries crashing that is a cause for concern.

Loads being shed by trailers also raises concerns, she added, with Cathy recalling a barrel coming off a trailer and landing in their street next to their car.

Another driver ended up in their driveway as she was standing outside, after they came around the corner.

She has had enough: “If something happened to any of us here and I didn’t make an effort to go further over what’s been going on [I couldn’t accept that].

“I just said no, this time it’s too bad [to ignore].”

When contacted by The Impartial Reporter, a PSNI spokesperson confirmed: “Police received reports of a one-vehicle road traffic collision involving a lorry in the Ballyconnell Road area of Derrylin, on Tuesday, January 19. There are no reports of any injuries.”

Roads Service had not responded to a request for comment by the time of going to press.