Swinford Electoral Area committee Councillors have proposed that a right of access road off the N5 remain open, even though a safety audit recommended the closure of the road in order to enhance road safety.
Senior engineer Paul Dolan told the electoral area meeting on Monday that, following requests to the area office to close the public right of way road (L13117 ) from its junction with the N5, a safety audit by the regional safety engineer was carried out which recommended that the road be closed for road safety.
The senior engineer said that the road is used in limited capacity, as the main junction to Swinford is 100 metres from this local access road, and that the “overriding issue is road safety”.
Pedestrian access, however, will be accommodated, with a walkway to be provided along the R320 to the Bog Road.
Five submissions have been received in relation to the closing of the road, one with 36 names and addresses. This submission strongly objected to the road closure, though it did not outline reasons for this.
Chair of the committee Councillor Joe Mellett said that of course a safety issue is hugely important, but there has only been one accident at this junction in 20 years (in 2008 ) and this was due to dangerous driving. The councillor added that the road is used regularly by locals and “it would be unfair for them to have their rights taken away”.
Cllr Eugene Lavin said that a lot of people have requested that the road remain open and so it would be an “unjust thing to close it”, and he would be supporting the people rather than the closure.
Cllr Jimmy Maloney also proposed that the road should remain open.
However, Cllr Gerry Murray said that, “in the in the interest of road safety”, he has always taken on the professionals’ expertise and will accept this recommendation.
As there were two proposals to leave the road open this proposal will now go before the next monthly meeting of Mayo County Council.
