Councillor says Active Travel Funding is urgently needed for Mayo town

Funding for Ballyhaunis active travel projects ‘must be sorted out as a matter of urgency’, that is according to Aontú Councillor Paul Lawless.

The local councillor in the Claremorris electoral area said he is seeking a meeting between the Active Travel Department in Mayo County Council and the National Transport Authority (NTA) in relation to delays in funding for the travel projects in Ballyhaunis.

The Mayo town was awarded just €110,000 (2.4 percent) of Mayo’s total €4.5 million allocation of the Active Travel Fund. 

The 27-year-old councillor said: “It appears that the NTA was unhappy with the proposals drawn up by Mayo County Council. In response to a parliamentary question from my party leader the NTA stated that it was unable to grant approval to Mayo County Council to further progress the scheme in its current form, as it was not satisfied that the scheme proposals, as then formulated, sufficiently addressed the evident needs. In other words, it was their view that the scheme needed to be more ambitious and deliver more benefits for the area”.

Amongst the suggested improvements was the development of pedestrian and cycling lanes, improvements between the Ballyhaunis Community School and Town Centre, such as junction upgrades, cycling facilities, crossing facilities, which would also benefit access to Hazelhill Family GP Practice.

Additionally, it highlighted the need to develop a pedestrian and cycling lane between Scoil Iosa and the town centre.

“Be that as it may, it is now incumbent on all parties to come together to try and hammer out an improved plan and get the project off the ground once and for all for the benefit of the people of Ballyhaunis,” concluded Cllr Lawless.