Achill family welcome European road safety report

Achill family welcome European road safety report


Anton McNulty

The family of an Achill woman who died in a road traffic accident have welcomed the adoption by the European Parliament of a new road safety report.
Two years ago, Tommy Gallagher from Achill and the families of two other road traffic victims addressed the European petitions committee of the European Parliament to seek accountability for the quality of of Road Surface and Signage that are constructed and maintained by local authorities.
Mr Gallagher’s daughter Ashling (22) of Askill, Achill Island died on December 22, 2004 when the van she was driving collided with a cement truck on a bend along the N59 near Mulranny in Co Mayo. Mr Gallagher claimed the road surface and signage was unfit for proper usage.
Last week the European Parliament adopted a road safety report whereby safety tests will have to take place on a road before it is opened for traffic.
“This is going to stop County Council engineers auditing their own work,” Tommy told The Mayo News. “At present the council investigate their own work and approves a road as safe for use. This will ensure an independent person investigates the safety of the road.”
Mayo MEP Jim Higgins who assisted the families to address the petitions committee said the European Parliament said that the current practice was wrong and welcomed the new report.