Three 'dangerous' Achill bridges to be included in funding application

MAYO County Council has confirmed that they are applying for funding to design a project to address the traffic concerns related to three bridges in Achill.

The three bridges are located within a short distance of each other along the R319 at the entrance to the village of Cashel and have been the scene of a number of traffic accidents and collisions.

In April the parapet of one of the bridges was knocked clean off landing up to 15 feet below in the river below after it was struck by a car while in August traffic came to a standstill following a collision between a circus lorry and a car at another bridge.

Local councillor Paul McNamara has been critical with what he feels is the lack of urgency from Mayo County Council to address the issue and apply for funding to make the bridges safe for traffic along the busy road.

However in a memo to be presented to councillors at Monday's monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Electoral Area, the council confirmed that they are to make an application for funding to design a project for the three bridges.

John Kearns, Senior Executive Engineer with Mayo County Council stated in the memo that the three bridges are being included in the upcoming application to the Department of Transport, for Bridge Works under the 'Regional and Local road Bridge Rehabilitation Grant Programme', for consideration for funding in 2025.

“If the funding application is successful, it is proposed to tender all three bridges as one package to our Consultants Framework.

“Subject to approvals, this will see design and planning phases undertaken in 2025,” Mr Kearns wrote in the memo before adding that the timeline may be pushed out to 2026 if the planning has to go to An Bord Pleanála.

“All going well on what is a lengthy road with various approvals required, works phase could be underway by second half 2026, completion 2027 subject to departmental funding,” he concluded.

When raising the safety concerns of the three bridges in the past, Cllr McNamara said that there is not enough room for two cars to safely pass along the bridges and it is particularly dangerous for visitors to the island who do not know the location.

In the spring, he showed the current Minister for Finance, Jack Chambers the location on his visit to Achill and claimed the Minister could not understand why funding had not been applied.