Cheevers welcomes pause in Active Travel work at Roscam Junction
Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan Cheevers has welcomed the works being paused at Roscam Junction (Spar ) by Galway City Council Active Travel Team.
“This was a huge concern for residents as it was going to reduce the lane out of estates to one lane. This is has total of four estates combining 795 properties, with only access in and out of estates.
Cllr Cheevers says there is a consewuence of a history of years of bad planning, allowing so many properties to be built with only one access in and out.
“The Senior Management of Galway City Council have assured me it will go back to two lanes as was outlined by the residents management company in public consultation.
“It was vital this was maintained as it would have been a disaster otherwise, leaving residents stuck in cars for long periods especially during peak hours.
“I believe what we now need to see is not only access out of estates returned to two lanes, but also we need to see a further access at back of Roscam Estates onto the Coast Road fast-tracked and funding applied for this project as soon as possible,” he said.
Ministerial meeting to ensure essential flood relief works are not jeopardised
OPW Minister Patrick O’Donovan is to visit Gort later this month to meet with members of the South Galway Flood Relief Committee in a bid to ensure a long-awaited flood relief project for the area is not jeopardised.
The members have raised serious concerns about the reluctance of Transport Infrastructure Ireland to fund works on the M18 motorway which are urgently required to reduce the risk of flooding in South Galway.
Both the South Galway Flood Relief Committee and Galway County Council have raised their concerns with TII but so far no satisfactory response has been received.
Deputy Ciaran Cannon who confirmed the meeting said that TII was warned of the need to construct larger culverts under the M18, but chose to ignore that advice.
“TII engineers were made aware of the need to construct larger culverts under the M18 to facilitate the movement of very large volumes of water at peak flood times.
“They ignored that advice and now we are left with a major problem. If the cost of installing larger culverts is added to the overall project cost of the Gort Lowlands Flood Relief Scheme, then we are in serious trouble when it comes to the cost benefit analysis of the project.
“That’s why I have invited Minister O’Donovan to Gort to meet with the committee. We need to work with the Minister and the Taoiseach in having this matter resolved once and for all”, said Deputy Cannon.
Minister O’Donovan will visit Gort on June 20 to meet with the South Galway Flood Relief Committee and decide the next steps to take in resolving this problem.
“Minister O’Donovan wants to work with us, as does the Taoiseach, in having this issue resolved.
“It is not acceptable that an engineering problem caused by TII could threaten the viability of the most important flood relief scheme to be constructed in our county.
“We have been exceptionally patient in waiting for a solution to a flooding problem that has plagued South Galway for decades.
“Now as we approach the end of that very long process, and the end line is in sight, we can’t let anyone jeopardise this project. It’s that simple”, said Deputy Cannon.
