Works on busy West Mayo road 'need fast-tracking'

A call has been made for works to be fast-tracked on the N59 from Newport to Mulranny to reduce traffic delays along the busy route.

Achill-based Cllr Paul McNamara told the December meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that he recognised there has to be traffic delays with the upgrading works, but there are “a lot of them”. He suggested that rather than doing the works in phases, the overall project should be fast-tracked so that it doesn't go on for another four or five years, and is instead completed in two years.

Cllr McNamara also requested fast-tracking works on the R319 road from Mulranny to Achill, stating: “Some money has been spent on upgrades at Achill Sound but the situation is serious between there and Mulranny and does need some investment on around a 13km stretch there. Taking just 1km a year out of it means it will take 13 years to do the whole job, so I ask could we get more funding for it please.”

Cllr John O’Malley said that while work on the N59 is being done at moment, it will take a long time to complete, adding: “But we were lucky to get it started at all as it was stuck for a while.” 

Cllr O'Malley told the council's Head of Roads Conrad Harley that he had been “talking to somebody that knows a lot about roads who reckons [Transport Infrastructure Ireland] are wasting money” doing the work piecemeal.

"They would be better off if they put a full new road in and leave the old road there for locals to get up and down, as digging up half the road and then making a temporary road is all extra work.” 

Mr Harley, agreed that there are delays on the N59 at Derrada and said efforts are being made to reduce them, adding: “Whether Transport Infrastructure Ireland is getting value for money by not building a new road, that decision was made many years ago when the process was gone through. Phase 2 is not at detailed design stage yet and won’t follow through immediately after Derrada but it may not be that far behind it.”

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.