Potholes on Mayo roads a health and safety issue

POTHOLED roads are becoming a health and safety issue.

Winter rains followed by the recent icy spells have left many local roads in Mayo in poor condition.

Achill Councillor Paul McNamara has requested Mayo County Council write to the Department of Transport for extra funding and stress the condition of the roads in the west Mayo area, which, he said, are becoming a health and safety issue.

His colleague Councillor Gerry Coyle suggested the RSA, which runs NCT tests, should be coming out to inspect the roads, to see if they are fit for use.

Another member, Councillor Johnny O'Malley, gave an animated picture of a situation in the Kilmeena area - four cones put in holes in a road that were filled with water.

There is an extensive problem with potholes coming out of the two cold spells and a lot of patching is required, Padraic Walsh, district head, told a Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting.

Engineers will be formulating roads plans for the year ahead in the coming weeks. Funding allocations should be announced by the department in February.

Councillor McNamara said the weather has done untold damage to the local roads, but fixing the potholes would only solve the problem for a few weeks.

He has been asking for increased funding for local roads since being elected, but last year the programme was reduced on account of material costs rising and the council receiving no additional allocation.

“I have never seen the local roads in my area in the state they are in,” he commented. “Funds need to be applied for under health and safety issues.”

Mr. Walsh agreed they could use more money. They are in there fighting for their share every year and making the point that they need more investment.