Gardaí lead chorus of opposition to closure of lay-bys on motorway

The closure of two lay-bys on a stretch of motorway in Galway has been described as baffling – and Gardaí say that they should be reopened immediately in the interest of driver safety.

The lay-bys, or rest areas as they are also commonly known, are situated between Loughrea and Ballinasloe along the M6 motorway but they have been barricaded off and are no longer accessible to motorists.

Gardai in both Ballinasloe and Loughrea have expressed concern about the closure of the lay-bys, saying that they provided an opportunity for motorists to pull in if they were suffering fatigue, had a puncture or had a sick child in the car.

Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch told the Connacht Tribune that lay-bys were essential and there could be no valid reason why they should be closed to motorists.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland said that the two lay-bys near the Loughrea exit were being closed off due to motorists mistakingly pulling in thinking they were motorway exits.

But Mr Faughnan insisted that lay-bys are essential for families or drivers who want to a place to pull in during an emergency. He added that if it was an issue over signage, then that could be easily resolved.

He pointed out that while it was possible to get from Galway to Dublin in one and three-quarter hours on the motorway, it did not eradicate the need for rest areas to be provided.

Motorists travelling from Galway on the M6 motorway now have to drive more than 100 kilometres before they come across their first lay-by near Moate.

■ For more on this story, see the print edition of the Connacht Tribune.

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