Extra funding sought for embankment job on approach road to north Mayo town

MAYO County Council has made an application for additional funding to carry out work on an unsightly embankment on the Foxford Road, Ballina.

The embankment, adjacent to the railway line, was populated by trees up to a few years ago, when they were cut down.

The land in question is owned by Iarnród Éireann but has been licenced to Mayo County Council, who will carry out upgrade works.

Ballina Municipal District architect Emmet O'Donnell told the February monthly meeting of the authority that after being advised of a new funding stream last month, an application was submitted in the hope of adding extra money to that which has already been allocated to the project.

The council, he added, is engaging with specialist consultants in relation to a nature-based solution for the embankment. Drawing-down of the funding would have to be done by November, so the project is progressing.

“We're hoping to have a significantly larger fund with which to carry out the remedial work,” Mr. O'Donnell said. “The best thing would be to try and do it all in one go. It would have less impact on traffic too.”

The architect said it's a very complex site. “It seems easy superficially but there's a high degree of complexity with the characteristics of the site and the impact on traffic.”

The matter was raised by Councillor Marie Therese Duffy, who tabled a notice of motion before the Ballina MD monthly meeting last November calling on the local authority to provide an update on the plans to enhance the embankment.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme