Call for pedestrianisation of Loughrea to be examined

Pedestrianisation of Loughrea town should be examined as part of a major traffic management plan, insists one local councillor.

On-street parking as well as the flow of vehicles through the town was just not working, according to Cllr Shane Donnellan (FF).

When the lights went out of order at the Westbridge last weekend, traffic was not backed up for several miles as it usually did on Friday evening, Cllr Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher, argued. He asked Galway County Council officials to consider removing the pedestrianised lights at this location.

Cllr Donnellan stated that while there was no queue for cars when the lights cut out pedestrians complained that they could not cross the road.

“Loughrea needs a traffic management plan. Westbridge and Main street are major problems. Traffic could flow better. I don’t think traffic is working as good as it should be. It’s a big project but it would be worth doing,” he stated.

Acting Senior Executive Engineer Enda Gallagher said Westbridge was a very restricted junction with many roads leading off it so the removal of lights would pose a major hazard for pedestrians.

The lights were operating on a loop detection system so were operating as efficiently as possible. There were a large number of residential estates on the Dublin Road which needed to access the town from this location.

He stated there was no funding for traffic management plans.

Cllr Donnellan retorted that money had been allocated in the last budget for traffic management plans for Clarenbridge, Kinvara and Loughrea in the 2018 budget and it was now time to implement them.

“The last one [in Loughrea] was in the ‘90s. Things have changed a lot, the system has changed a lot, the town has changed a lot but we’re not moving with the times. The parking system on the main street is not working,” he argued.

“When buses come into town the bays are full, wardens are constantly moving people on but they can’t be there constantly. Vans need to deliver but the loading bays are full. We have a constant problem. We need to move on it. We can’t keep putting it off. There may be certain streets that need to be pedestrianised in the town.”

Director of Services for Infrastructure and Operations, Jim Cullen, said the provision made in the last budget for traffic management plans was a small amount – up to €30,000 – which was for minor works that needed urgent attention.

“Councillors are looking for management plans for Clarenbridge, Oranmore, Kinvara, Gort and Loughrea. It was the early 2000s when the last traffic management plan was drawn up and we were advocating for a one-way system,” said Mr Cullen.

“I agree the town could be greatly enhanced by a radical traffic plan, including pedestrianisation. I can’t stress enough the level of objections when they precisely tried to implement that.”

He pointed out that it would cost a couple of hundred thousand euro to implement changes in a traffic management plan which the Council did not have to spend.

“Oranmore is in dire need, Kinvara has become awfully busy, Gort as well – so all in need of traffic management plans.”

Cathaoirleach of the Loughrea Municipal District, Cllr Joe Byrne, asked the Council to investigate whether the old FCA barracks owned by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in the centre of Gort could be turned into a car park to accommodate 30 vehicles.

The Fine Gael Councillor said Kinvara also badly needed parking. The only piece of land available in the seaside village which could be used for a public car park was at the back of the square and was owned by four people, three of whom would support its creation.

Mr Mulryan said he would look into both sites further.