Removal of signs from old N5 'an act of vandalism'

THE removal of signs for villages along the old N5 Westport to Castlebar road was described as 'an act of vandalism' and they should be immediately replaced.

A number of road signs for villages along the old N5 were removed following the opening of the new N5 dual carriageway and local councillors have demanded questions as to why this took place and who ordered their removal.

At the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan, the Director of Services with responsibility for roads explained that the old signs were no longer applicable after the old N5 was downgraded to a regional road.

“We had hoped to reuse them but at this stage those signs are probably recycled and even if they were available it would not probably be possible to fix them onto new posts. Unfortunately I'd say at this stage if we were to erect any signs along the old N5 we would have to source the finance ourselves.

“The old N5 signs there were no longer applicable so the decision was made [to remove them] and unfortunately there probably was a problem with communication and it wasn't communicated directly with the Castlebar MD [municipal district] that this was happening,” he explained.

Anger

His answer raised more anger among the Castlebar-based councillors who felt that taxpayers should not be paying for signs which they felt should never have been removed.

“It is amazing that signs taken down a few weeks ago are suddenly recycled, it is the fastest recycling I have ever come across in my life,” commented Cllr Ger Deere.

He added: “You are telling me that someone took down signs that didn't need to be taken down and we have to source funding. No wonder the public gets so frustrated. I want to know who ordered them to be taken down because the taxpayer will not be paying for this.”

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne added there was no need for new signs as the villages at the end of the roads had not moved and demanded to know who authorised the signs to be taken down and who improved the payment of who took it down.

Fianna Fáil councillor Martin McLoughlin described the removal of the signs as an act of vandalism.

“If you or I or any member of the public went out and removed those signs you would be before the courts. There are people living around Islandeady and that area where the signs to their village off the old Westport road are now gone,” he said.

A resolution was passed at the meeting for the signs to be replaced.