Pedestrian crossings along the River Moy in Ballina described as ‘death traps’
Councillors have agreed to host a workshop with all relevant groups to address safety concerns along what has been dubbed the "Fifth Avenue" of Ballina.
At the latest Ballina Municipal District meeting, Cllr John O'Hara raised concerns about the four courtesy crossings located at the junctions of Lower Bridge, Upper Bridge, Emmett Street, and Cathedral Road, along the Moy River.
The crossing does not give pedestrians the right of way; instead, it offers a safer way to cross the busy roads.
However, Cllr O'Hara warned that many pedestrians assume they have priority. He highlighted the crossing between Lower Bridge and Cathedral Road, noting that it is heavily used by schoolchildren and cars from the N59 Sligo Road.
"They don't look left or right, they go straight across the road because they think they have the right of way,
"People are driving at high speeds, trying to get into the right lane coming from Sligo," he said.
Cllr O'Hara said that something needs to be put in place to slow traffic crossing the bridges, warning that someone could be hurt there.
"People just don't look, we need a sign or something to highlight that going around the bridges," he said, "It's a death trap."
His comments were supported by fellow councillor Annie May Reape, who criticised the lack of progress on the pedestrian crossings.
"We have a big conversation, we get a headline, and then that's the end of it. That's the pattern down the years,
"I have made motion after motion in relation to what [Cllr O'Hara] mentioned regarding the crossings. It's the most dangerous street," she said.
She highlighted the risks posed by the two-lane road, noting that the pedestrian crossings were temporarily adjusted during former US President Joe Biden's visit to Ballina, and then reverted to their usual setup.
"Youngsters are crossing, they're on their phone, and they walk halfway and don't see the other cars coming because it's two lanes - it's like Fifth Avenue," she said, "We changed things for two days when Joe Biden came to Ballina, then it went back to the same old."
She added: "I really don't know what we are going to do, it is frustrating. We have nothing to show for all our debates and what we are trying to do."
Head engineer of the Ballina Municipal District, Orla Bourke, shared the councillors' concerns and explained that any progress along the Lower and Upper Bridge is outlined in the Ballina Local Transport Plan.
She noted that moving the plan forward depends on funding from the National Transport Authority (NTA) and highlighted that the council received very little funding for the transport plan last year.
Cllr Reape expressed her frustration at the lack of funding from the NTA and asked when the council would see progress on this issue.
"Between TII and the NTA, we are getting damn all," she added.
Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District, Jarlath Munnelly, proposed holding a workshop with all relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the Mayo County Council Roads Department, the regional design office, and strategic regional boards.
"Then we might see some headway," he said. "We need to sit down in a workshop format."
The proposal was agreed by all council members present, with a date in December suggested for the session.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.