Protest pledge if Mayo town crossing doesn't materialise

COUNCILLORS will protest with students in Balla to deliver a much needed pedestrian crossing in the town, a municipal district meeting has been told.

Third year students, in their CSPE class, recently wrote to elected members of Mayo County Council to highlight their safety concerns near the local secondary school.

Thanking the students for their initiative, district cathaoirleach Councillor Donna Sheridan said the issue has been raised for some time and action is needed now, with a crossing to the shop and estates on the Kiltimagh Road.

The absence of a pedestrian crossing at the school entrance is affecting the accessibility of all students, particularly those who use wheelchairs and have mobility issues, students have highlighted.

Councillor Michael Kilcoyne also welcomed seeing young people taking an interest in their area.

However, he failed to understand why, when a few months ago Balla was closed every day and evening with machines laying a new road surface, did no one think of a pedestrian crossing.

He wanted the council to write to the roads office to say they are concerned, and if the students wanted to protest the councillors would go out and support them.

Measures to address the parking 'mayhem' and a pedestrian crossing at the local national school were also needed, Councillor Cyril Burke told the meeting.

Members were told the roads design office is looking at pedestrian crossings but traffic counts are needed for TII. When TII approval is received, funding is then a separate issue.

The office hope to have a study done by Quarter 2 of this year.

Councillor Kilcoyne warned if the roads office don't start putting in place arrangements for the crossing: “We will have a protest out there and we'll bring the students with us.”