City streets blighted by obsolete and dirty signage

The city’s streetscape is blighted by misleading, obsolete, dirty and superfluous signage, a city councillor claims.

Labour’s Niall McNelis said it is high time to carry out an audit of the street signs that are dotted around, taking away from the views and general enjoyment of the city centre.

In some instances, he said, the signs are dirty. In other instances, they are confusing – and pointed in the wrong direction.

In more cases, they are obsolete and the institutions they are pointing people towards are no longer there.

“There are examples of poor signage all over the city. There’s one at Galway Cathedral pointing to the City VEC but it’s not called the VEC it’s the GRETB. Then you have a whole load of signs that haven’t been washed since the day they were put up. They are filthy dirty. There’s one sign that says Salthill but it’s pointing towards Eyre Square. Some of them are covered in graffiti,” said Cllr McNelis.

“There are five signs coming into the city that warn motorists they will be clamped if they park illegally. But they are outdated – Galway City Council doesn’t clamp. It’s such a negative image to portray.

“Why can’t we use those signs positively? Use them to welcome people to Galway, which was voted the friendliest city in the world, or the Capital of Culture 2020, or Tidy Towns. They should be welcoming visitors not warning them of something that won’t happen to them. Those signs are obsolete,” he said.

His party colleague, Councillor Billy Cameron, previously called for an audit of signage and in particular poles. He complained that many poles were dotted all over the city and had no signs on them at all.

“Billy was right. There are lots of poles without any signs, and there’s just no need for them. Then you have so many of these ‘pat yourself on the back’ signs, the huge ones that say such and such a company built such and such a road.

“I mean at this stage, people know who built the Western Distributor Road, why is that sign still up? It could be used to promote community events or road safety or to be more welcoming,” said Cllr McNelis.

“Salthill is a mess also with so many signs – Wild Atlantic Way, road routes, warning signs, byelaws, environmental signs for litter and dog dirt, hotels and guest houses, they are just too many,” he added.