Shelving of N59 Mayo road project 'devastating' news
A €5.8 million road upgrade project in west Mayo has been shelved.
The tendering process for the Newport - Derrada scheme has been suspended, it was officially confirmed today.
Local Councillor Johnny O'Malley got wind of there being an issue at the weekend and he questioned council management this morning at a municipal district meeting in Westport.
Municipal head Padraic Walsh confirmed that he was told this morning that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has requested the regional design office to suspend the tendering process. Letters will be issuing to the tenderers.
He made enquiries during a brief adjournment of the meeting as to the reason, and reported back that it was a funding issue.
Achill Councillor Paul O'Malley said this was 'devastating news' for the people who travel the N59 from west and north Mayo.
He described it as the worst section of road in the country and said the message being delivered from Minister Eamon Ryan is that money is more important than people.
The minister had allocated €2 million for greenway resurfacing from Westport to Achill, he noted. Did he want everyone to be going up and down by bicycle.
Councillor O'Malley sought clarification on the matter having received 'unconfirmed reports' at the weekend that the project was 'shelved' and he was 'deeply disappointed' at the news received today.
Only three weeks ago they had been told the project would start at the end of the summer, he commented, which they had relayed to the community when out canvassing.
The people of Newport, he said, were being 'thrown around like a ragdoll'.
Councillor Brendan Mulroy, who described the decision as 'disgraceful', called for Minister Ryan to resign.
A road that is not fit for purpose is how Councillor Gerry Coyle summed it up, emphasising that the route needs to be done to save lives.
In updating elected members, Mr. Walsh also explained how the current pavement is quite distorted over a distance of three kilometres and a cautionary reduced speed limit has been introduced on this section of the road. Funding has been sought from TII to deal with this separately.