Council prepares €2.16m programme of works for Navan's regional and local roads

Meath County Council is preparing to undertake a €2.16million programme of works on the regional and local roads in the Navan Municipal district.

Separately, €1 million will be spent on upgrading public lighting in Navan this year,

An additional €5.4m will be spent on pedestrian and cycle schemes in the area and a separate €211,000 from the council's own resources will be spent on improvements to Simonstown Lane. €200,000 has been set aside for maintenance and repair of housing estate roads and open spaces in the Navan area.

Senior Executive Engineer, Andrew Faulkner, gave a presentation on the works to be carried out and among them will be roads at Macestown, Metges Road, Harristown, Bohermeen, Caseys Cross, Graigs Lane, Stackallen, Faughan Hill, Emmet Tce, Commons Lane, Gillstown, Bective, Windtown, White Quarry, Knockumber and Donaghmore Road.

Work is taking place this week on the car park at the Town Hall in Navan, but the funding for that was provided in last year's budget.

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 year's 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. “We are coming forward with this programme as early as we can, so we can get procurement early and start work early. That is why we coming with a programme based on last year's allocation.”

Cllr Alan Lawes paid tribute to the work Meath County Council is doing. “It can be frustrating to see all the road works going on, but when you look at work done on Kennedy Road and the Fairgreen, it is a sign of progress, of improving the town for everybody. I ask the general public to have patience. We are improving the town to attract people in and to make it better for the people of the town.”

Cllr Yemi Adenuga said it was good to see that amount of money being spent and going into works to improve Navan further. She asked if there was a timeline for all of the works and said if it is all at once “people will go bonkers.”

She was told the council was fulfilling the contracts already and that the work in the urban area would be done when the schools are off in summer. It will take about 10 days in each area. A weekly email will go out to inform people about the works.

Clr Francis Deane said it was great to see the work being done around the town and the improvements on the Fairgreen. “I'm one of those that would like to see more off street parking but that's another issue.”

Cllr Emer Tóibín asked for more clarity about Simonstown Lane and was told it needed works and at the other end it ties in with greenway and footpath, forming a natural loop.

Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons said that throughout the year, members had brought up issues, and most seemed to be dealt with it in the programme. He welcomed the major investment in the public lighting.

“We are probably lucky we have less roads that the other electoral areas. With this weather, there will always be potholes, but our roads are well looked after,” he said.