Fine Gael Cllr Peter Flynn has called for action to be taken to improve the footpaths around Westport town. Speaking at the West Mayo Municipal District February meeting this week, he said: "It has been something that has bothered me since I came back on to this council in June last year and I am talking about the main thoroughfares. What has really brought it to a head in the last few months has been the Quay Road - probably the busiest footpath outside the town centre. It links the Quay and the town and is used by visitors and locals alike.
"I raised this with the chief executive before Christmas, but can we please get some money for the footpath. If you are coming down there with buggies or children there is only one place to go and that is out on the road and it is not acceptable; also on John's Row and the Elms area, it is like a bomb site and this is where the Walking Tours bring people on a daily basis and this is what the people see of the town, go down the Newport road and it is the same thing.
"I am not even talking about residential areas, I am talking about public roads." Cllr Christy Hyland said that it wouldn't have happened in the days of the town council, to which Cllr Flynn agreed and said "We are talking about simple bits of footpaths, it is maintenance work and the least that people expect - I would just make an urgent appeal to see can we come to some agreement on that, I don't want to be back in here in a month's time and a bad accident has happened."
