RESIDENTS of a Warrenpoint housing estate are at their wits end with motorists who “jeopardise children’s safety”.
According to disgruntled householders, mass-goers use Rossmara Park as a short cut to the rear of the Queen of Peace church instead of using one of its three car parks.
While this has been the case for a number of years, fears were heightened earlier this month when a three-year-old boy had a narrow escape when a car reversed and almost hit him as his mother looked on in terror.
“That just really bought things home and we knew something had to be done,” one resident said.
“The child could have been killed because of this man rushing to Mass. If it wasn’t for someone shouting at him to stop, it could have been fatal.”
Last weekend, a number of householders created a temporary barricade for a day. Six householders lined up wheelie bins to block cars access to the area with a sign saying no parking. And residents stated another blockade on Saturday evening and Sunday.
“We felt we’d no choice. We had to do something as we’re all so annoyed by this,” he said.
One mother says the situation can only now be described as desperate. She fears that a child is going to get injured – or worse – if the road continues to be abused.
According to residents, the children often play in the area and most parents are confident they are safe.
That is, until Mass time when the cars use the residential area as a shortcut. Canon John Kearney advised parishioners in the bulletin to use the car parks but residents say it hasn’t made a difference.
Many parents are now choosing to keep their children indoors during Mass for their own safety.
“They think they are being punished but it’s for their own safety,” one mother said. “All we want is for people to stop using Rossmara Park, it would be better for everyone.”