€7.7m welcomed for North Meath roads in ‘crisis’

The roads in North Meath are in crisis, councillors claimed at a meeting of Kells Municipal Council yesterday (Monday), when a programme of roadworks worth €7.7 million was outlined.

Councillors welcomed the Meath County Council Works Programme which will see €7.7 million spent on regional and local roads in the Kells electoral area this year, but concern was expressed that some have "disintegrated and disappeared altogether."

The Kells electoral area has the biggest proportion of public roads in the county at 1,286km.

Yesterday's meeting heard that €4.9million would be spend on restoration improvements in the Kells electoral area and €1.26 on restoration maintenance. Meath County Council is also investing a further €1.5 million of its own resources into local roads.

Members heard that the council had not been notified of the allocation from the Department of Transport for this year, but the figures were based on last years allocation.

"If there is additional money through the grant allocation, we will come back and discuss that additional allocation and its distribution," said director of services, Martin Murray,

Among the works outlined at the meeting were €300,500 in road restoration works on Kildalkey Road, Athboy and €200,000 on a new pedestrian crossing at Carlanstown.

Councillors were also informed of a separate €400,000 alocation for tarmacing the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway. They were also told that as part of the Safe Routes to School programme for St Colmcille's National School, a link from Jim Brunnock Road to Gardenrath Road in Kells would be provided, dependent upon landowner agreement.

Mr Murray said this years programme was extremely ambitious and extremely well spread out.

"We are very much aware of the councillors requests for various roads. Unfortunately we only have so much money to go round. In the development of the next programme we will be very conscious of everything you have put in to us. All the information you have given us will form part of the discussion for future programmes."

Cllr Michael Gallagher paid tribute to the council for all the work they do repairing roads, but said the roads in north Meath were in a terrible condition.

"It is a crisis situation. The Drumconrath- Slane road is like something from a war torn country. The amount of cars damaged in north Meath in the last month has been phenomenal."

Cllr Eugene Cassidy said the roads had got a hammering this year with the weather but he was pleased to see that 36 roads were incuded in the programme.

"I'd like to see the work starting early. There is one road, Kellystown, Meathhill which is disintegrating, it has vanished. I hope it is one of the first to be done, because it is horrendous," he said.

Clr Cassidy welcomed funding for the greenway and expressed concern over the lack of a footpath in Gibbstown. "It is on a regional road and it is the only village in the county without a footpath".

Cllr Peter Caffrey expressed disappointment that the programme did not include a bus stop for Oldcastle . He said there has been a terrible problem with potholes over the last few weeks and it was an emergency at this stage.

Cllr Sarah Reilly said the roads were being eaten up and it has been very difficult for staff to get on top of that.

"I put forward 32 roads for considration this year but a lot of them didn't get on the list."

Cllr David Gilroy said the programme would deliver a series of important infrastructure, safety, and accessibility improvements across the Athboy area.

"A key outcome is the delivery of a new off-street, fully accessible Bus Éireann bus stop in the car park beside St James Church. Crucially, this will move bus stopping activity off Main Street, addressing one of the most persistent traffic and safety concerns raised by residents and businesses.

"This change will significantly reduce congestion on Main Street, improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and provide a much more accessible and dignified boarding point for passengers."

Cllr Sean Drew said the Jim Brunnock Road/Gardenrath link would make a complete difference ot Kells and would be fantastic for the town.

Cllr Mike Bray wecomed the announcement of a new bus stop in Athboy and the provision of new pedestrian crossings at Connaught Street and Kildalkey Road, Athboy.