Tackle water on Mayo roads or repairs are a waste

UNLESS water on roads is dealt with, spending money on repairs is a waste.

That was the view expressed by a member of Mayo County Council's roads strategic policy committee.

Former councillor Christy Hyland cited a pothole in his area in west Mayo that was fixed about four years ago. Crews were out 11 times to the same pothole in 18 months.

It wasn't their fault, he said. It was that the water was coming off the ditch drilling down on where the pothole was.

Can you open water tables any more, he asked, because you were wasting money unless you deal with the water.

Money is going into repairing them every year but they are not dealing with what is causing the problem - water cutting up the roads, he stated.

Some roads are in a bad state with 'craters' at the moment, Mr. Hyland commented.

Acting head of roads Conrad Harley said they have authority to open water tables and release water into private land. But as farming becomes more industrious there is more of an angst created when they do it, but they do their best to keep water tables open.

There is a large number of potholes with the weather and crews have been doing their best.

The point was made by Councillor Patsy O'Brien that you can open water tables, but they are blocked again two or three weeks later due to the traffic.

He cited roadside drainage, where a chamber is filled with stone, as yielding positive results.