The Galway City Council remains determined to make major improvements to the narrow and dangerous stretch of road at Crestwood on the Coolough Road, City Hall has said this week.
PD Cllr Terry O’Flaherty has put forward an ‘urgent motion’ to the city council, calling on it to purchase the lands at Crestwood - either by agreement or compulsory purchase order - for road widening, footpaths, and public lightening.
A total of €400,000 was allocated in the 2007 Budget for such works but to date the lands have not been acquired.
Cllr O’Flaherty said the improvement works are essential as “a large number of young children and students walk this road on a daily basis” and “it’s a miracle a serious accident has not occurred with drivers flying through this section at completely inappropriate speeds.”
She said residents have been campaigning for years for improvements on this roadway and accused City Hall of “unwillingness to take the appropriate action”.
In response, a spokesperson for City Hall told the Galway Advertiser said the council is “anxious to progress and proceed with the upgrade as soon as possible”. The spokesperson said the delay is due to the fact that negotiation with the land owner have been “so far unsuccessful”. As a result, the issue may have to go through a compulsory purchase order.
“This is a formal and lengthy procedure,” the spokesperson said, “and we would perfer to reach agreement instead as we are anxious to make progress.”
Cllr O’Flaherty has also called for signage along this “very dangerous stretch” of road. City Hall said signs were erected recently to alert motorists to drive cautiously.
