Mayo councillor says that urgent action is needed at busy Castlebar junction

Independent Councillor Harry Barrett is calling for proper safety measures to be put in place at the busy Windsor junction in Castlebar.

Councillor Barrett said: “Another life has been lost on the N5 and the Coroner has now said plainly that this junction should be treated as an accident blackspot. That is a stark and serious finding, and it cannot be ignored.”

Barrett continued: “When a coroner comes to that conclusion, it means there are clear dangers and that those dangers are well known. Local people in Windsor, Castlebar, have been warning about this junction for years and sadly it has taken a fatal crash for those concerns to be formally recognised.

“The coroner highlighted how drivers are required to slow down and turn off a busy national route without adequate warning or protection, leaving them exposed to fast moving traffic coming up behind them. This is exactly what people who use this road every day have been saying to me. The layout is unsafe and unforgiving, and one small mistake can have devastating consequences.

“I am calling on Mayo County Council and the relevant road authorities to act on the coroner’s comments without delay and put proper safety measures in place at this junction.

“I will be raising this issue formally on behalf of local people and pressing for action.”