Connacht Tribune
Tuam motorway plaza plan withdrawn following traffic concerns
Plans for a motorway services plaza to serve the new M17/18 and Tuam Bypass – backed by Supermac’s – have been withdrawn, following concerns raised by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.
TII said it is a “significant concern” that headlight glare from the services area could cause a traffic hazard for motorists on the new motorway.
Agents representing Pat McDonagh and Michael Mannion have now instructed Galway County Council to withdrawn the application which they lodged at the end of October.
The 3.5-acre site is at Farramartin, at what will be the new Kilmore roundabout, part of the new Tuam Bypass.
The plans included a drive-thru restaurant, carpark and coach parking spaces, as well as six fuel pumps and carwash area.
Internally, the plans included a large ground floor convenience retail area, off licence and foodcourt, with seating for around 100 people, while the first floor had seating for a further 150 people.
TII (formerly the National Roads Authority) said it is of the opinion that insufficient data was submitted with the application “to demonstrate that the proposed development will not have a detrimental impact on the capacity, safety or operational efficiency of the national road network in the vicinity of the site”.
“The Authority notes that the confined nature of the site appears to have had a significant impact on the site layout and vehicle access and circulation proposals. TII acknowledges that the application has undertaken a Road Safety Audit, but it is a significant concern that the applicant has proposed a vehicle circulation route that runs adjacent and parallel with the adjoining M17/18 Gort to Tuam Bypass scheme.
“It is noted that the audit specifically addresses this issue and identifies the potential conflict between cars travelling on the site circulation road and traffic on the M17/18 mainline. Although the recommendation of the RSA is that solid fencing should be erected between the carriageways, the audir appears to have concluded that dense planting will be provided along the boundary instead of a solid fence.
“It is not clear that this solution is acceptable to the Audit Team nor that the solution in itself will be sufficient to avoid headlight glare from vehicles in the site affecting drivers on the mainline and therefore causing a traffic hazard. This represents a significant safety concern,” the TII submission reads.
Gerry Gormally of the West Wing Restaurant objected to the application on the grounds of the impact on his business and other traders in the town; light pollution; traffic concerns; possible flooding and inconsistencies in the planning documents.
He described his business as “the life and sould of the existing n17teen Business Park”, with 30 staff working daily, 50 at weekends, and up to 70 for functions.
The residents of the Bealach na Gaoithe estate at Killaloonty voiced concerns that it would lead to road safety issues in the area because of an increase in the number of HGVs and increase in noise levels.
They also point out that the fast food restaurant and drive thru would be in close proximity to four housing estates, which they say is “at odds with the national policy for combatting obesity in Ireland”.
Businessman Sean Brett objected on the grounds that such a development would not be the best use for land which will become “an iconic focal point for entry into the environs of Tuam in the near future”.
“It is felt that a development which offers opportunities for a higher quality of architecture would be more suited to this location and be a benefit to the town of Tuam,” the objection reads.
It adds concerns about traffic management implications at the new Kilmore roundabout.
Requests to be kept informed of the progress of the application were submitted to the County Council by Chris Brogan – who is planning a similar development on his tractor sales site on the opposite side of the road, and from Topaz Energy Ltd.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
