Connacht Tribune
M17 services area rejected on traffic safety grounds
The development of a service station off the new motorway in Tuam, which would have the potential to create up to sixty new jobs, has been turned down for traffic safety reasons.
Local businesses are attempting to capitalise of the fact that the new Gort to Tuam motorway will be provided at the end of this year, along with the Tuam bypass. It is felt that it creates numerous business opportunities.
But one local business has had its efforts to provide a service station just off the route scuppered by An Bord Pleanala who ruled that it would increase the risk of collisions. The plan had previously been rejected by Galway County Council.
The Planning Appeals Board said that the proposal by Chris Brogan for a service station at the Galway Road in Tuam would be located on lands that were zoned for industrial use. Recently, however, a similar planning application for a service station and restaurant in nearby lands was given the go ahead.
An Bord Pleanala ruled that this application for a filling station was not acceptable and “the proposed restaurants would not be compatible with the industrial zoning objective for the site”.
They said that having regard to the proposed range of retail and restaurant uses taken in conjunction with the extensive parking provisions for cars, coaches and HGVs, and the proximity of the proposed service station to a roundabout junction, it would not be compatible with the industrial zoning objective for the area.
They said that the scale, intensity and traffic generating potential of the proposed service station, taken in conjunction with its proximity to the motorway and Tuam bypass it is considered that the proposed development would give rise to an increased risk of collision along this section of road network.
An Bord Pleanala added that it would not be compatible with national and local transport planning policy and would endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard and an obstruction of road users.
The plans involved the provision of a six-pump forecourt and a heavy goods vehicle forecourt along with a convenience store, off-licence, three food areas and a drive-thru facility.
The proposed development proposed to serve the new motorway and Tuam bypass. The site is located on the Galway Road out of Tuam and close to the roundabout which links the motorway with the town bypass. County planners refused permission for the development on the grounds that it would create a traffic hazard but the applicant had agreed not to construct the service station until the motorway and bypass are complete in early 2018.
In refusing planning permission to Chris Brogan of Brogan Tractors, Galway Road, Tuam, the County Council said that it would endanger public safety by reason of a traffic hazard and obstruction of road users.
Planners also said that it would have a detrimental impact on the capacity, safety or operational efficiency of the national road network in the vicinity. And they also said that the scale of the development would compromise the vitality and viability of the town centre in Tuam.
In the appeal to An Bord Pleanala it is stated that the proposal to provide a new service station is in an area that is surrounded by established commercial development and the lands are zoned for development.
The developers also say that the proposal also offers an opportunity to improve the aesthetics of one of the main access corridors to Tuam town off the new motorway.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
