Following my meeting with Irish Rail engineers they are now considering how to allow pedestrians across this safely. A long term solution might be to replace the bridge deck with one having a separate pedestrian path. This has to be designed and costed and could not be implemented before next year. Funding would have to be found.

As a temporary measure, when they fence the rail line in September they might allow bridge access through gates with extra signs and instructions for the train to whistle.

In some cases birdwatchers, who set up tripods on the bridge, have refused to move for trains even though the train whistled and had to stop. This unacceptable behaviour is unsafe and causes problems for all of us.

‘I am urging them to keep pedestrian access open and am pleased they are responding positively’.