Council questioned on plans to address safety issue at west Mayo bridge

MAYO County Council hopes to progress plans to address safety concerns at a low railway bridge on an approach road to Westport once a local transport plan is in place.

The plan is currently at public consultation stage.

The matter is on the agenda for a municipal district meeting this afternoon where Councillor Peter Flynn, in a motion, has asked for an outline of what communications and investigations have been undertaken by Mayo County Council in the last four years in relation to the low railway bridge on the Ballinrobe Road (R330), at a key entrance/exit point to Westport, and what plans are in place to have this significant ongoing health and safety issue addressed.

In a written reply ahead of the meeting, he was informed: 'Funding to carry out improvements in the vicinity of the railway bridge on the Ballinrobe Road out of Westport has not been available over recent years. The works involved would not fit within the scope of our normal road works programme and would require a specific capital grant.

'In addition, identifying the optimal design solution in this case will prove quite difficult.

'When it was confirmed by the NTA that Westport would be funded to prepare an Active Travel Plan for the town it became clear that this was a potential new pathway to identifying a solution and securing funding. The Active Trave Plan will become our funding template for investment in future years.

'Accordingly, on completion and adoption of the plan we intend, subject to NTA approval, to progress works on the design of appropriate improvement works at this location.'