Efforts to improve public lighting ‘too slow’ in Shannon

*Bóthar Mór. 

EXISTING PUBLIC lighting from Ballycasey Roundabout to Bóthar na Loiste is to be examined following calls for additional lights.

Information and clarification was sought from Clare County Council by Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND) “on the additional public lights on the section of road from Ballycasey roundabout to the junction of Bóthar na Loiste.

“This small section of public road approaching Shannon Town on Bóthar Mór (N19) was excluded when the public lighting network was installed in Shannon Town and presents a health and safety concern for the public using this access road. I am calling on the local authority to have this work carried out urgently”.

Senior executive engineer in the Shannon Municipal District, Tom Mellett said he consulted with his colleagues in the transportation section and confirmed “they have committed to assisting in terms of an assessment of the existing public lighting provision on the R471 Bóthar Mor from Ballycasey Roundabout to Bóthar na Loiste and provide a lighting design and cost estimate for additional lighting should the assessment identify deficiencies”.

Mellett advised that funding for the works had been secured by the Shannon MD. “Should the funding available not cover the cost estimate we will investigate additional funding streams”.

Flynn highlighted, “We’ve had two fatalities on that road”. He voiced dissatisfaction with the response from the senior engineer, “I am not happy with the response, he can confirm with his colleagues that it was a section that was left out”.

Efforts to tackle the situation are “too slow,” Flynn maintained. The Shannon Town representative noted that €90,000 was granted for a pedestrian crossing in the locality, “we need to make sure it is pushed on, I’ve committed some GMA to this but it is a standard copy and paste type of thing. It is a blackspot”.

Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) seconded the proposal while Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) felt Cllr Flynn was “one hundred percent right, it is a very dark area, I had a motion two years ago on it requesting that the trees be topped”.