Mayo councillors highlight 'serious danger' of Breaffy Active Travel Scheme
Castlebar councillors claim that a section of the new Breaffy Active Travel Scheme will be highly dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists
The Cathaoirleach of the Castlebar Municipal District expressed disappointment with the attitude of Mayo road design engineers after he highlighted a 'serious danger' with the active travel scheme in Breaffy.
The Breaffy Active Travel Scheme which is currently under construction involves the construction of segregated footpaths and one-way cycle lanes on both sides of the N60 and R308 linking Breaffy with Castlebar.
While the scheme has been broadly welcomed, an issue over a 200 metre stretch of part of the footpath was raised by local councillors who felt it is a safety concern. Both councillors Cyril Burke and Al McDonnell expressed concern that the footpath along a section was at the same level of the roadway and there was nothing to stop cars entering it.
Cllr McDonnell who is the Cathaoirleach of the Castlebar Municipal District said he highlighted this with the Mayo Roads Design Office and was not pleased with their response.
“There is a raised kerb between traffic and pedestrians but for next 200 metres there is no kerb which means the roadway and pedestrian and cycling facilities are at the same height and it is highly dangerous,” he told the monthly meeting of the municipal district.
“I am deeply concerned and I met some of the engineers in the Roads Design Office and I am deeply disappointed with the answer I got. I am asking the executive and engineering staff in our area to have a word with them to highlight the serious danger that cars can move without restriction from the carriageway onto the pedestrian path. That is not right and it should be looked at. I was given all sorts of excuses why it could not happen but you cannot put a price on a life,” he said.
Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke also felt that the area where the footpath is level with the road is at an entrance to an estate and this may lead to cars undertaking cars waiting to turn right going up on the footpath.
“When someone pulls up and can't turn right, the cars behind them have only one place to go and it is on that path. There is no kerb because it is the same level of the road and is something which needs to be looked at. There are a few turn offs to the right which can be an issue,” he said.
Cllr Burke also said there was no point connecting Breaffy with Castlebar if there are no housing developments in the village and urged the TII not to oppose development.
“Breaffy is a nice area and we should be pro development for that area. Before this the TII were never in favour of it and it is ridiculous that they can spend all that money and not be open to development out there as well,” he said.
Director of Services, David Mellet said that he would note the comments of the councillors and they will address some of the safety risks which are identified during construction and the scheme will be subject to final safety risk. He added that the scheme was already having the desired effect as traffic through the village was already slowing down.