Mixed views on new local transport plan for Mayo town

A councillor has said the Belmullet Local Transport Plan, which is currently being prepared by Mayo Co Council, will hold the area back rather than allow it to progress.

Westport-based Cllr Peter Flynn made his comments during a presentation by senior executive engineer Cathy Mellett to the June meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District. Ms Mellett told the forum that the study is about evaluating how well people can move in the locality while planning for the future in terms of improving networks and efficiencies. She said the council is currently carrying out transport studies in Ballyhaunis, Crossmolina, Belmullet and Balla, and each will act as a gateway for funding.

In relation to the Belmullet study, she said: “It’s a desktop exercise where data is noted on schools, residents, town centre traffic and walkability audits, to see where people are and where they want to go. It is about gathering data about what is in situ, and what is needed, taking into account any proposed projects and existing plans, such as Town Centre First.” 

She said the study is at the stage where data gathering on all the settlements is done, and that the draft study is now in the early engagement stage where it will be looking at establishing potential networks in the area. She is hopeful it will be completed by mid-2027.

Addressing his Belmullet colleagues on the council, Cllr Flynn stated: “This is bad news because once this process kicks in, Mayo County Council will do nothing on safety or anything in this area. A perfect example of this happened here in Westport when the Newport Road was approved for an Active Travel project in 2021 and we could not do anything for three years until the local transport plan was approved. We now hope to get it started in October, which will mean it has taken five years.

“Active Travel is just a disaster of a programme and by rights it should be called Dormant Travel, because nothing happens around it and nobody can give timelines on anything. It is just a farce that the National Transport Authority has come up with and should be thrown out and let us go back to the old scenario of local engineers who did all the design work before and no need for consultants, and get the job done in six to 12 months."

However, Cllr Sean Carey said he felt more optimistic in relation to the Belmullet plan.

“There are nine steps in the process, and we are a third of the way. This study is needed to attract funding, so we have to have the plan in place. There are a lot of issues in Belmullet around the need for traffic calming, so it will be very welcome. Even our traffic systems, people are always asking for a proper plan to be put in place, so this is a step in the right direction, and we want it to proceed as soon as possible.”

Cllr Gerry Coyle said he also welcomed the study, adding: “Any progress is welcome and I ask this be done as quickly as possible. Unless you know where you want to go, you can’t ask anyone the way.”

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.