Ballina councillors blame Uisce Éireann for traffic chaos in north Mayo capital
Councillors told meeting that council were not responsible for tailbacks along the Sligo Road in Ballina on Tuesday
Uisce Éireann were blamed by north Mayo councillors of being responsible for causing tailbacks in traffic in Ballina on Tuesday morning.
Motorists in Ballina experienced significant tailbacks on the Sligo Road in Ballina on Tuesday morning leading to frustration among motorists with many making complaints to local councillors.
The matter was raised at the monthly meeting of the Ballina Municipal District on Wednesday where the Cathaoirleach of the municipal district, Cllr Annie May Reape said that people were blaming Mayo County Council and Ballina Municipal District when it was nothing to do with them.
“As it happened it was nothing to do with the council but it was Uisce Éireann and their contractor which was dealing with an issue on the Sligo Road. It can happen to anybody but it was nothing whatsoever to do with this council and we were getting the blame for the traffic backing up.
“I want the message to go out loud and clear that it was nothing to do with the council. I think a letter needs to go to Uisce Éireann because it is happening a bit too often. We were all getting calls about it and I believe MWR [Mid West Radio] was also lit up with calls,” she said.
Fine Gael councillor Marie Therese Duffy said she came on the traffic tailback and suggested that advance warning be given of utility work being carried so motorists can avoid those locations.
“If everyone knew a day in advance they could leave earlier to get to work or school. If we had an updated schedule of work for the week ahead whereby people could leave ten or 15 minutes earlier because that stop-go system outside the park was a disaster. If people had advanced warnings of these works on main roads they could plan better,” she said.