Icy weather action plan required by Local Link operators in Mayo – TD

A Mayo TD has called on Minister for Local Government Darragh O’Brien TD to outline what measures have been put in place to treat roads in Mayo used as part of Local Link routes.

Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh's comments come as a number of Local Link and Rural Link operators across the county notified customers of delays, disruptions and cancellations due to ice and frost today.

She said: “As the ice and frost made its presence felt over the past few days, there have been disruption to Local Link and Rural Link services in Mayo, including the cancellation this morning of the 978 morning service from Belmullet to Castlebar and the 454 morning service from Ballina to Castlebar via Lahardane.

“It is the Department of Local Government and Mayo County Council who are responsible for ensuring roads being served by NTA vehicles are cleared and useable. Unfortunately, this is simply not happening.

“I raised this with the Minister last year, and the minister passed the blame to the local authorities and washed his hands of any responsibility.

“This is simply not good enough for commuters and hybrid workers in rural parts of Mayo and other counties who depend on Local Link services to get to their destination.

“Government has time to plan for frost and ice, it has long been part of our weather cycles.

“They are failing to prepare roads right across Mayo that are required to be useable by NTA vehicles, and those suffering most from the resulting disruptions are passengers and Local Link operators in Mayo.

Úna Morris, Sinn Féin candidate for Ballina in the 2024 local elections, said these disruptions highlight the importance of reliable, sustainable public transport in rural areas like north Mayo, and the lack of transport options faced on a daily basis by families and commuters.

“We hear on a weekly basis from constituents who have issues with rural transport.

“Whether it’s the older lady who must pay for a hotel room in Galway because she had no way to get there for an early morning hospital appointment, or the school leaver who can’t get a job because there’s no transport to his nearest town, and he must wait months for a driving test - a lack of reliable transport options creates real regional inequality.

“The department must provide local authorities with enough funding to carry out this work; and must insist on the inclusion of roads in Mayo used by Local Link in any weather action plans.”