Stacking lanes call as Mayo motorists run gauntlet on N5

MOTORISTS are running the gauntlet on the N5, with lives at risk on the daily commute between Castlebar and Ballyvary.

With frequent accidents at the Straide turnout in Ballyvary and junctions at the Church of Ireland in Turlough, Abbeybreaffy and Windsor, action is needed now before more lives are lost.

The call has come from Councillor Ger Deere who has supported Coroner Dr. Eleanor's Fitzgerald's request that the Windsor junction near Castlebar be declared an accident black spot.

The coroner's comments were made at an inquest into the death of a 91-year-old motorist following an accident where he rear-ended a stationary pickup truck that was turning right for Windsor.

Near misses and accidents are a daily occurrence on the route, says Councillor Deere, who will not accept a finding that there is no room for stacking lanes to create safe right-turning spaces on the route heading out of Castlebar. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) say stacking lanes are not feasible, and it was also previously suggested that a local road at Gortnafolla would have to close to accommodate a turning lane at the church in Turlough.

An engineering solution does exist, Councillor Deere has insisted, from stacking lanes on the N5 junctions and a possible roundabout in Ballyvary, and TII have to make it a reality to save lives on what he described as a 'lethal' stretch of road.

“It's a real minefield from Castlebar to Ballyvary,” said Councillor Deere. When opened 30 years ago there were different engineering standards and today 'it's not fit for purpose'.

He noted how temporary stacking lanes were used to facilitate trucks and machinery during the construction of the new dual carriageway so there was no reason why they can't be looked at as a permanent solution.

Windsor is a particularly busy junction, he added, with residential traffic and also people crossing to use the greenway. Simple measures like a stacking lane, signage or maybe slowing traffic down would make a big difference, he said.

“I don't want a situation where this is highlighted again by the coroner,” commented Councillor Deere.

“You cannot put a price on a life.”