Malone Road barrier to be replaced months after fatal crash

The new crash barrier is to be put in place at the corner of Sans Souci Park where it meets the Malone Road.

Last October Queen’s was rocked by the tragic death of 18 year old Enda Dolan, who was killed in a horrific crash on his way back to Elms Village.

The first year architecture student from Killyclogher  was hit by a van in the early hours on the 15th of October and later died as a result of his injuries.

The safety barrier had been removed three weeks prior to the incident.

The barrier had been put in place following the death of two young female students in 1977 at the same location.

However documents acquired by BBC claim one official said: “We have not been able to find anyone who knows the history of why it was installed.”

Siobhan McKinney, a Belfast resident who lived close to the site, remembers the original incident.

She said: “It was a terrible accident. I don’t know why the barrier was ever removed, that spot is dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.”

This week a petition had been circling asking students to call for a barrier to be put back in place.

Jack Donnelly, a law student who worked on pushing the petition through, has described himself as “over the moon” with the news.

“The spot is extremely dangerous as it’s on a bad corner, especially in the bad weather. The barrier being back up now allows students and the people of south Belfast using this pavement to use it in safety.”

Law and French fresher Aoife O’Hare lives in Elms and felt the barrier should never have been removed.

Aoife said: “Traffic on the road is always heavy, and some cars go along it really fast. It’s the route people living in Elms use to get to the Uni so there is always lots of people walking on the footpaths no matter what time of day it is.

“The safety barriers would help us all feel a bit safer when using the footpaths but I think it’s ridiculous that it takes a tragedy to highlight how important the safety barriers are, especially along a main road like this one.”

SDLP councillor and well-known landlord Declan Boyle had supported the petition and viewed the matter as ‘urgent’ for the safety of students and residents alike.

Aoife O’Hagan,a second year studying social work, makes the daily commute to Queen’s down the Malone road.

She said: “It can be tricky enough to go round that corner at 30mph without being too close to the kerb. If someone is driving over the speed limit it’s nearly impossible”

The Department for Regional development now has plans to re-erect the barrier at waist height, and with a raised kerb to deflect traffic.