Residents in Belcoo are becoming increasingly concerned that there will be a serious accident if nothing is done to tackle the speeding of traffic through the village.

The village lies on the main Sligo Road and sees a busy stream of traffic every day coming back and forth across the Border. The problem has also been seen on the Garrison Road.

One concerned resident spoke of how some motorists going through the village have little regard for the speed limit and believe it will only be a matter of time before an accident happens.

“The speed at which cars and lorries are travelling through Belcoo village is getting so bad that it’s only a matter of time before we have a bad accident,” they said.

“They are totally ignoring the speed limit. They seem to think that because it’s a ‘through road’ they have a right to do so.

“The same problem applies on the Garrison Road. There is a play school, a primary school and the Lakeland Community Care centre which caters for the elderly located just beside the road.

“Even when parents or the buses are dropping off or collecting children some motorists have little concern for the safety of the pupils.

“The 40 mph out the Sligo Road is no deterrent either even when school children are being lifted or dropped off.”

Another resident Joe Maes, who lives on the Sligo Road beside the speed limit signs described how a lorry passed his house at speed one morning as his son was about to cross the road to wait for his bus with a number of other young students.

“The other day I was putting the bin out and it was a bad day and this truck comes in from the Enniskillen side and I said to Finn move back and he just flew past me with no regard whatsoever and there was a puddle in front of me and the water splashed up and then there was a truck behind him and he was doing the same thing and I started to wave my arms to slow him down and ultimately he did slow down a bit.”

“It is a serious problem here especially with the winter coming up. I don’t know how many accidents have been here in the past but there only has to be one.”

Concerns have been raised to local councillors with Sinn Fein’s Anthony Feely who said that he has been aware of this problem since he was elected as a councillor.

“We have raised this problem with Transport NI but there has been little progress made in trying to find a solution,” said Councillor Feely.

“Since I was elected in 2014 a number of concerned residents have been in contact with me and we have tried several different avenues but they are just not working. We will continue to press the issue as the speeding needs to stop before there is a serious accident.

“With a primary school situated on a main road and students being picked up and dropped off by bus every day, drivers need to take more care and abide by the speed limits in place especially coming into winter.”