Mayo rural residents 'terrorised by traffic' claim

People living in Ballynew just off the N5 outside Castlebar are being terrorised by excess speed and traffic, according to local independent candidate Harry Barrett.

And he expressed disappointment that Mayo County Council is doing 'absolutely nothing to ease their concerns.'

Barrett was contacted by a number of families living along the road who complain that the council will not listen to their concerns because it is classified as a private road.

He said this is ridiculous because it has been being used for years by cars, vans and lorries coming off the N5 to access the north side of Castlebar

He continued: "They have asked for coloured bollards on the N5.

"They have asked for ramps. They have asked for a reduction in speed and they have been denied each time because they are told it is a private road.

"It is not a private road as it has been used by the public for the last 30 years.

"If elected on June 7 I will be calling for an immediate engineer's report and action to be taken to have this road classified as a public road.

"I want coloured bollards on the N5. I want the speed dropped to 50 km/h and I want to have a speed ramp installed close to the meeting point of The Greenway and the Ballynew road.

"Local councillors cannot sit idly by and do nothing as people continue to worry about their children and elderly family members as they walk along this road."