Tourism trail may be victim of its own success

The creation of the Wild Atlantic Way is something of a double edge sword when it comes to South Galway in particular.

While it has brought increased visitors to the area, it has also resulted in traffic problems. Now, a safety audit along one of the roads has been demanded.

The number of visitors that have visited Kinvara and, indeed, the Cliffs of Moher have increased significantly since the development of the Wild Atlantic Way.

But a local councillor has expressed concern that some of the roads in South Galway are not capable of taking the additional traffic that this initiative has generated.

Cllr. Joe Byrne of Fine Gael has now requested a safety audit of the road between Kilcolgan and Kinvara as a result of the fact that the traffic volumes have increase significantly over the past twelve months.

Residents in the area have expressed concern over the increased volumes of traffic on the N67 which runs from Kilcolgan though Kinvara and into County Clare.

They feel that it is unsafe for pedestrians to use this road and they are now calling on Galway County Council to carry out a safety audit on the stretch.

According to Cllr. Byrne the volume of traffic has increased significantly since the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way – to such an extent that it is unsafe for both pedestrians and motorists.

He wants both Galway County Council and the National Roads Authority to carry out the safety audit as a matter of urgency and particularly in advance of the summer tourist season.

Cllr. Byrne’s concerns were raised due to the increased road traffic usage following the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way.

“Visitor numbers at both Dunguaire Castle in Kinvara and the Cliffs of Moher have substantially increased in 2014 and expectations are that those numbers will increase in 2015,” he noted.

The councillor said that the traffic at the Kilcolgan junction was a particular cause for concern as was the signage, which he claimed was inhibited.

Cllr. Byrne also stated that there was unauthorised parking at Dunguaire Castle and a lack of traffic calming measures on the approach to Kinvara village.

He also highlighted the deterioration of the footpaths between the castle and the village while he added that there was a lack of pedestrian crossings in the village which currently has 700 students attending Seamount College and the local national school.

Councillor Byrne says that measures need to be put in place in advance of the busy tourist season but he also acknowledges that the overlay surfacing of the N67 between Toureen and Dunguaire has been most welcomed by local motorists and cyclists.