Active travel sparks debate over Letterkenny’s chronic traffic problems
A Sinn Féin councillor has rejected suggestions that active travel is to blame for Letterkenny’s traffic problems, describing the argument as a “red herring” as the town continues to grow.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle made the comments during a debate on his motion calling for Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien to visit Letterkenny to discuss the need to speed up major road projects in the town.
“The roads here are the same as they were 25 years ago around Letterkenny - if anything, they’re getting worse,” Cllr McMonagle said.
“We have a number of road projects in the pipeline and the Minister's input is very important here. He is holding the purse strings.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Ciaran Brogan called for a more balanced approach to reaching out to the Minister, and argued that recent Government investment and progress on major infrastructure projects should also be recognised.
Cllr Brogan said the Minister has had input on air services, the TEN-T project and the planned Bonagee Bridge, as well as recent funding announcements linked to the Letterkenny Northern Network .
“If you had a magic wand for the Bonagee Bridge , you couldn’t move it any quicker. It is a statutory process,” Cllr Brogan said.
He also criticised elements of active travel development in Letterkenny.
“The biggest issue locally is active travel and I am embarrassed about it and glad we (Fianna Fáil) did not support it ,” he said.
Cllr Brogan said Donegal County Council also had responsibilities around traffic management and called for a “more balanced approach” to discussions with the Minister.
Cllr McMonagle strongly rejected the active travel argument.
“To blame active travel is absolute nonsense. We had traffic problems long before active travel, and we will have them long after it,” he said.
“To lay the blame on something that happens to be a Government or Fianna Fáil policy is a red herring.
“We had congestion long before active travel. In the Town Council we had chronic traffic problems and we had a consultation to map out a solution. Where has the investment been since?”
Cllr McMonagle said Letterkenny badly needed the Southern Relief Road to progress and a proper public bus service alongside the TEN-T project.
“We need means for people to get about this town in a safe way without using cars,” he said.
Cllr McMonagle also questioned how the road network would cope amid further investment and development in Letterkenny.
“Putting money into the air service is very welcome. Building a new hospital and investment into ATU is going to increase traffic. What are we doing to meet all that?” he said.
“This town is growing and yet we have the same roads we had 25 years ago.”
He renewed his call for Minister O’Brien to visit Letterkenny, almost nine month after councillors first sought a meeting .
“We are sitting here now in July and he still hasn’t arrived,” Cllr McMonagle said.
“We need to get real here, look at our options and plan for the future.
“We shouldn’t be throwing about red herrings. We should be working together.”
Cllr McMonagle said councillors had previously gathered video and drone footage showing traffic entering Letterkenny at peak times and should be ready to bring that evidence directly to Dublin if the Minister does not visit.
“If he can’t come here, we go down there and show the extent of the traffic,” he said.
“There is no reason why he shouldn’t come up here and see it for himself, understand it and inject capital into it.”
He also highlighted the recent incident of a cyclist being knocked off a bike at Leck at the weekend, saying safety concerns about the road, which is used daily as a relief route, had been raised repeatedly in the council chamber.
Following the passing of Cllr McMonagle's motion, the local authority confirmed that a renewed request for a meeting with Minister O’Brien would be sent.
This article is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme