Council under fire for failure to clear blocked roadside drains

Date Published: {J}

BY CIARAN TIERNEY

A city cyclist who commutes to work via Sean Mulvoy Road each day is incredulous that grass is now growing out of a blocked drain even though he has been complaining to Galway City Council about how it has been blocked for the past six years.

Peter Strange, who says he puts his life at risk by cycling on the road each day, says it is no wonder the road is liable to heavy flooding whenever it rains as the storm drains all along it have been blocked up for years.

He has consistently highlighted the problem to the Council – and produced photos to back up his claims – but is amazed that the drains have been left without being cleared for years.

Mr Strange says it is no wonder there are huge floods, which make life impossible for motorists and pedestrians whenever cars pass by, as there is nowhere for the water to run off to after a heavy shower.

“What does the Council plan to do about this and when?” asked Mr Strange. “Every storm drain in Galway seems to have been neglected for many years and many seem to be in this state. Sean Mulvoy Road is clearly dangerous and this needs to be addressed immediately.”

Mr Strange says he has been complaining to the Council about the state of the drains for six years now and has yet to receive an adequate response, despite furnishing them with clear photographic evidence.

Director of Services Ciaran Hayes told the Galway City Tribune yesterday that the Council had been in regular contact with Mr Strange for a number of years. He said the problem was not just confined to that area of the city.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.