'A slap in the jaw' - criticism as road signs for Mayo event not permitted
Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said it was unfair that no electronic advance warning signs were allowed.
A local councillor has criticised Mayo County Council for not allowing signage to be erected advising motorists of an athletics event that took place in Ballina last weekend.
Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said it was unfair that no electronic advance warning signs were allowed to raise awareness of the Telus International Salmon Run Triathlon last month.
“The organisers couldn’t put up electronic signs. The signs are effective, why can’t they use them?” he said. “They have been used for other events. I want to see consistency in how we deal with this.”
Cllr John O’Hara supported Cllr Munnelly’s comments.
“It takes a lot to run an event and you need the signage. You need a push on the back, not to get a slap in the jaw,” he said.
Senior executive engineer Orla Bourke said the rules were specific around the use of electronic signage.
“Our signage by-laws have been a positive, we cannot have a proliferation of signage,” she said. “The electronic signs are for roadworks and for making people aware of delays on the road as a result of an event, but cannot be used to advertise an event.”
The triathlon last Saturday saw a large number of athletes taking first to the waters of the River Moy, then cycling through Belleek Woods before finishing with a 5km run to the Quay and back.
