The long forgotten road

Dear sir - Normally, a very mild-mannered citizen, I am apoplectic, and feel that I must do 'something'. In writing this letter, I have to ask myself whether it will make any of our so-called representatives listen, much less our county manager and our county engineer. The residents of Barnwellstown have been ignored by the county council for many years, concerning what has now become a third world dirt track. I really suppose that this letter is a pointless exercise during an election campaign. I hope not. The fact is, as a resident who built a house with his wife here in 2009, we have seen many a politician come and go and promise to 'do something' for this road. What utter nonsense. When the council 'workers' eventually came to 'fix' the L-56011 (Barnwellstown) during the summer of 2010, we received a triumphant letter from Cllr Wayne Harding, stating that a sum of money approaching €200,000 had been allocated to the project and that remedial works were imminent. After an initial two-week delay, the workers eventually arrived in mid-July. In the two weeks that followed, they managed to drink unhealthy amounts of tea, drive the van up and down the road innumerable times and spend long periods in deep thought as to how best to tackle the drainage problem on the upper section of the road. Their holidays in August were no doubt well deserved. But we were in for a treat when they came back. The next few weeks were spent reading The Sun, drinking tea and waiting for directions from the Slane area engineer. The work then 'finished' not so much with a bang, but with a whimper. There were glib promises that the work would recommence this spring. We were told that the weather was 'too bad' to engage in any proper road dressing works, as summer had passed. This was late August. Funny, then, that we received no further correspondence from the council or its agents. Job done? Leaving our road in this condition is an insult to me and my fellow residents. I would dearly love a line-by-line breakdown as to where the €10,000 we gave to the County Council to satisfy planning conditions went? Where exactly are our 'playgrounds'? The closest street light to us is two miles away in Lobinstown; although we do manage to see our way when there's a full moon, which is free. Meade Potato Company, located on our road, had to invest their own money to build a private road leading to their plant. This has seen a dramatic reduction in traffic on the L-56011, but the damage caused to the road over the years has been seriously exacerbated by two very severe winters. I had to replace my car last July because the suspension was ruined by the state of the road. Prior to that, I suffered three punctures in the space of four months on the same stretch. Fellow residents will attest to similar problems. A friend who called to our home recently described driving on the road as being akin to "driving on the surface of the moon". No doubt the council will retreat to its usual béal bocht defence - no money; despite the fact that Meath has been allocated over €400 million for roads since 2004. There is, of course, another sad fact. It seems that we are simply not important enough in the scheme of things to receive priority funding for remedial works. How do you think that makes us feel as compliant taxpayers? Does the council, with its Byzantine modus operandi even care? My demands are simple. 1: I want the entire stretch of road in Barnwellstown resurfaced with tarmacadam and not chippings; 2: I want the speed limit on the entire stretch of road reduced to 50 km/h; 3, I want the issue discussed at the next full meeting of Meath County Council and a report sent to me regarding its discussion and plan of action. I have written to the county manager and engineer, Slane area manger and engineer and all elected representatives in the area, seeking a satisfactory remedy to the situation. If the issue is not addressed (or discussed, at the very least) by 6th June 2011, I will begin protesting outside the council offices in Navan and will attend council meetings to press my case further. I am available to discuss the issue with any of our elected representatives or council officials at any time, should they feel themselves brave enough to take a call from me. Name and Address with Editor.