Councillor fit to burst over missing roads debate – after potholes cause punctures

A local politician arrived late to a County Council meeting and missed a discussion on the poor state of repair of Galway’s roads – because two tyres on his car were burst in a pothole.

Galway County Councillor James Charity arrived over an hour late to the Athenry/Oranmore Municipal District meeting on Tuesday morning because two tyres on his car were banjaxed by potholes.

The Independent apologised for arriving late and said it was because “two tyres burst on my car”. He said he would discuss the matter later with Council officials. The barrister told the Connacht Tribune that his car hit a crater on the road near his home in Clonboo.

The flat tyres meant he missed a discussion on funding of Galway’s roads, eight per cent of which, according to a new national survey, are “falling apart”. Hundreds of motorists across the county, like Cllr Charity are fuming their tyres were punctured and cars damaged by poor road conditions.

Michael Owens, acting Director of Services, confirmed to the meeting that Galway County Council’s roads budget for 2018 is “not adequate”.

Mr Owens pointed out that there was a reduction in Council funds available for roads because a decision was taken by Councillors to revert to a lower rate of Local Property Tax.

He said that roads funding from central Government had increased this year, and while the extra money was welcome, it was not sufficient.

Mr Owens said that the county’s roads have deteriorated further due to the recent storms, and a particularly harsh winter, but the Council has met the Transport Minister, Shane Ross, and has applied for additional funding. The allocation on roads was “clearly inadequate”, he added, but officials are hopeful of getting more cash.

His comments come as a survey conducted by local authorities, and published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission, found that eight per cent of the road network in Galway is in “severe structural distress” and in urgent need of remedial works.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.