Iarnrod Éireann has given a commitment that it will look for planning permission to build a bridge at Kilnageer between Breaffy and Belcarra in early 2021.
A delegation from Iarnrod Éireann attended the June meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District on foot of an invitation from the district at their previous monthly meeting, in light of a crash between a Westport to Dublin train and a car at the crossing at the end of April.
Since the incident a new warning system has been put in place but is causing confusion, according to locals and councillors who want to see an automated crossing installed before the installation of a new bridge to take the crossing out of the equation all together.
The delegation told the councillors that they had planning permission secured for a bridge granted in 2012, but they did not have the funding available at the time to carry out the work, which would cost in the region of €2.2 million. However they intend to re-apply for planning permission for the bridge by quarter one of 2021 and hoped that they would be able to get the funding to carry out the works.
A number of councillors raised issues with the new decision support system that has been put in place at the crossing - pointing out that sight lines on the lighting system can be hard to see at times and some signage was being obscured by other signs.
Cllr Michael Kilcoyne pressed the delegation as to why they did not go ahead with the building of the bridge when they had planning permission - to which he was told they were underfunded at the time.
While he welcomed the news that Iarnrod Éireann would be applying for planning permission, Cllr Cyril Burke said that he had hoped the delegation would be coming with better news and questioned why Iarnrod Éireann did not just apply to extend the planning permission that had previously been granted when it was about to run out.
Cllr Ger Deere said that the signage that is in place now to inform people about the warning system is so long that you would read The Irish Times as quick as you would the signs.
A number of councillors pointed out that the system where people have to open one gate and then a second one and then close them again before they travel on, as being a serious issue for different groups, particularly the elderly or people with disabilities.
The delegation from Iarnrod Éireann agreed to a proposal to meet a delegation of councillors, council officials and local residents on site to look at the crossing before the end of July.
