Opportunity for Mayo town 'to capitalise on new road structures'
A call has been issued to Mayo County Council in respect the road network in Castlebar from the perspectives of the local and through traffic.
In a submission to Castlebar Town & Environs Local Area Plan 2021-2027, Joe Moran said Castlebar is blessed with the inner relief road and the new NS which will bypass the town – providing options for greater pedestrianisation.
He elaborated: “These routes take through traffic out of the equation and away from the town centre and residential areas.
“It gives Castlebar the chance to pedestrianise streets, for example, unlike other towns such as Westport, Ballina, Claremorris and Newport where through traffic must go through the town centre.
“These routes also allow the possibility of repurposing the other mains roads around the town, providing an opportunity to lead in becoming a sustainable travel town exemplar.”
Mr. Moran said the current Castlebar town development plan shows a northern ring road linking the Westport Road to Newport Road, Pontoon Road, Turlough Road and on the N5.
It is his view Mayo County Council should consider removing the northern ring road from the new plan for a number of reasons.
He explained: “It is not needed for through traffic as the town is effectively bypassed. Other towns in Mayo that need bypasses should be prioritised.
“It is too close to the town centre. I am concerned that it will be a disincentive to people making local cycling journeys from their homes to schools, shops and local amenities.
“The new plan needs to help change daily local travel behaviours - it should support a shift away from using cars for local trips and should not encourage more.
“It does not service lands for development as it is too close to the town centre and those zoned lands within 5km of the town centre can easily be accessed from the existing roads - Westport Road, Newport Road, Pontoon Road, Turlough Road.
“If it is to be included in the plan it should be pushed much further out - 5km or beyond - where local daily trip commutes are not really possible by cycling and where it will open up land for development.
“I think it is premature as a road to service land for housing and should not be included in the new plan.
“It cuts across the outer Lough Lannagh area and limits future amenity use close to the lake.
“The existing roads coming into Castlebar (Westport, Ballyheane/Belcarra, Breaffy, Turlough, Pontoon, Newport) need to be all examined carefully and the plan should identify if these roads need widening (footpaths/cycle lanes) or could they be reapportioned.”