Extra traffic lights to ease congestion in Mayo town awaiting bypass
TRAFFIC congestion in Ballinrobe is almost a daily issue and the need for a bypass in the bustling south Mayo town was first proposed back in 2008, with a preferred route identified in 2009.
However, a lack of funding meant that this project never materialised.
In 2024, traffic lights were installed on the Glebe Street/New Street/Convent Road junction, and this has helped ease traffic issues in the town.
With funding an issue, a bypass for Ballinrobe, which is once again in its initial phase, may not be seen until 2033 at the earliest.
In the interim, extra traffic lights may be installed near the old Ulster Bank or Cornmarket (beside Supermacs) to help alleviate the congestion.
Local Fine Gael Councillor Michael Burke said that while he is campaigning for a link road for Ballinrobe, extra traffic lights might help the traffic issues in the town.
“We have a lot of children going to our schools and there's a lot of traffic feeding into them schools with buses and everything else.
"We have met with TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) and we're pressing the case as much as we possibly can to have something done about the extra traffic.
“The traffic lights have eased the problem somewhat. We probably will be looking at another set of traffic lights going forward, whether that's going to be at the old Ulster Bank, or Cornmarket.
"I'm not sure which one they're going to decide, but I think what we are really fighting for at this stage is a link road.
"A bypass is a very expensive venture, but I think the link road would give us some space to take certain traffic out of town.”
Local Fianna Fáil Councillor Damien Ryan said that the process of getting a bypass is frustratingly slow.
“I recently chaired a meeting in Dublin with TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) in relation to all road issues in Mayo, and I clearly had the outer bypass for Ballinrobe on that agenda.
“We identified a route for the bypass in 2008; however, the route is greater than 10 years old and in order to apply for funding we have to reaffirm a route again.
“It has moved from phase zero to phase one in the last number of months, and I understand there'll be funding allocated to get it to the preferred route again.
"But the process is frustratingly slow, and I think ministerial intervention and an act of the Oireachtas to speed up these things, is absolutely needed.”
*Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.