Longford county Council to discuss junction progress with TII

The delay on the delivery of safety works at a busy Ballymahon junction were highlighted at a recent meeting of Longford County Council.

The hold up of plans for changes to the streetscape in Ballymahon along with proposed safety measures were raised at the Longford local authority's budgetary meeting.
Since last year the issues surrounding changes to traffic lights at Nally's Corner and at the junction for the N55 Athlone Road along with other concerns by local traders have dogged the progress of the works.

Last year the council sent redesigned plans for the project to Transport Infrastructure Ireland for approval, after the original plans were halted following a disagreement by locals with TII over the layout.
It was felt that a roundabout would offer no protection for pedestrians and cyclists using the junction and that led to a re-think of the project.

Cllr Pat O'Tool raised the issue at the December budget meeting, with Councillor Mick Cahill adding that the safety works needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
The Director of Services with responsibility for Infrastructure, Climate Action and Innovation, Samantha Healy, explained: “It's part of the wider streetscape scheme. We have encountered a delay because of a challenge to the current Part 8.

“We have moved to go back and look at what will work at that junction. There is a commitment to the safety works, as you will be aware the safety works are incorporated into the wider streetscape scheme.”
Ms Healy gave reassurances to the councillors about the council's commitment to addressing the issue.

“There will be safety works at the junction, we will need to go back to TII to discuss and agree funding around specifically safety works, as opposed to the wider scheme proposed,” the DoS said.
Responding to the Director of Services statement, Cllr O'Tool said: “I just don't want this to get tied up in an issue between the traders and the council. We are talking about a different cohort, that is all the children coming in on the N55 to school, and all the transport companies.

“People are getting caught in huge tailbacks because of difficulties at the junction Monday to Friday. I don't want this thing to be held up by problems with the streetscape,” he said.