Clonmagadden ‘craters’ are a real threat to jobs

The 'crater like' state of Clonmagadden Lane in Navan is threatening more than 100 jobs, as businesses on the lane warn they are losing customers because of its appalling condition .
Eric Brady who owns a number of units on the lane said in excess of 100 people are working in businesses on the lane every day, and there are in excess of 200 to 250 vehicle movements a day with customers and deliveries to and from the various businesses.
“These people pay rates and have customers that are turning away when they see the state of the road.
“There are lots of small businesses here as well as bigger businesses like AES and Kilsaran and the lane is also used as a relief road to and from Simonstown GAA centre.
“The road is just crumbling away, some of it is impassable.
“The businesses are embarrassed to have customers drive along the lane,” he said.
Paul Rennicks is one of the businesses who has lost customers because of the shocking state of the road.
“One woman rang me from the bottom of the lane as she wouldn't come up. By the time I got to her, driving in and out of potholes, she had left and gone to my opposition,” he said.
“This is having a really big impact on my business.
“Clients are telling me they won’t come  to me when they see the state of the road.
“It is like a minefield to try and get through. There is a lot of employment along this lane and a lot of rates paid.”
He urged the Council to take over the lane and have it resurfaced.
David Curry who runs Complete Streel Solutions said that in the last two weeks, he has lost two customers.
“They have told me they are not coming down this lane again. It is ridiculous. There is a lot of employment on this lane and a lot of rates are paid annually, so the least they could do is provide a decent road.
“We are not looking for a motorway, but the current state of the road is ridiculous in this day and age.”
Barney McMahon who runs Flower Hill Furniture has a unit on the lane and says it is costing him a fortune in repairing the suspension on his vans.
“It wrecks the suspension - there are so many potholes that they have to drive in and out of every day.
“There are over 20 potholes on one 100 metre stretch,” he said.
“We also have to have nice clean presentable vans on the road and they have to be washed all the time because they get filthy on the lane.”
“Something will have to be done immediately. It is a major threat to businesses.”
A spokesperson for Meath Co Council said that as  Clonmagadden Lane is not a public road, repairs are not carried out by the Council.
“However, Meath Co Council administers the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development, for landowners with access to non-public roads.
“There are certain criteria to be met and DRCD will fund up to 90 per cent of the works, but only 85 per cent if there are six or more landowners. If the landowners in question were to collectively make an application under this scheme, Meath Co Council would assess the eligibility of the request,” she said.