Key Kerry road missing from winter gritting list a ‘disgrace’ says councillor

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

A Kerry councillor has slammed the omission of a key road in north Kerry from the council’s gritting schedule, calling the neglect a “disgrace”.

Councillor Michael Foley said conditions on the regional road between Tarbert to Ballybunion were impassable during frost this month, urging the council to add the road to their gritting schedule.

Cllr Foley highlighted the “treacherous” conditions of R551 from Tarbert to Ballybunion and the R552 from Ballylongford to Listowel this month at a Listowel Municipal District meeting.

He underlined the road’s importance as the main route from Ballybunion to Limerick and requested it be put on a priority list.

“It’s not acceptable…that road was treacherous, you could not travel it,” he said of the road during the recent spell of cold weather.

“Look at the map, it’s actually a disgrace to see the whole section not gritted at all and everywhere else is.”

Councillor Tom Barry added that cars were “skidding” along the road and urged the council to take into account local knowledge of the route. Councillor Liam Nolan also described the road as “impassable” at times.

The council said priority is given to the most heavily trafficked roads in carrying out salting operations, with national primary routes first in line, followed by national secondary routes and certain regional routes.

While they said currently both roads will not be treated as part of the normal winter service but may receive intermittent treatment during prolonged severe weather events, they agreed to look at increasing the priority of the roads next season.