*A graphic of what is proposed on Clon Rd/Station Rd.
RISING LEVELS of public submissions led to the online consultation portal for the contentious draft Ennis Local Transport Plan crashing and going offline overnight and into Friday morning but there will be no extension consultation period, Clare County Council has confirmed.
The Clare Echo learned on Friday morning that submissions could not be accepted overnight and into the morning via the Have Your Say Platform. It followed a rise in public submissions on the draft transport plan in advance of Friday’s deadline.
There are a total of 116 proposals in the draft transport plan, some of which including a one-way traffic system for the Mill Rd and the removal of the roundabout between Ennis Hospital and the Gort Rd have been met with a backlash.
Public awareness of the plans has increased this week with a demonstration held by Ennis businesses and residents on Wednesday morning while it appeared on the front page of The Clare Echo leading to a rise in submissions along with coverage in The Clare Champion and Clare FM.
In the aftermath of the system crash, a request was lodged by Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) for an extension of the public consultation period but this has been rejected by staff in the office of the Ennis Municipal District.
Correspondence from Cllr O’Callaghan to the Ennis MD staff outlined, “Having many constituents highlighting the apparent shut down of this site for considerable time I now request an extension of a number of days be given in good faith of the Friday 27th June at close of business deadline ensuring to all public members have their opportunity expressing their views on the current draft Local Transport Plan. And that the extension be brought to the attention of the public via Councils normal communication channels and local media”.
Administrative officer in the Ennis MD, Niamh O’Connor confirmed in response that the public consultation will finish as scheduled despite the system going offline. “The public consultation on the Ennis Local Transport Plan opened on Friday May 16th and is due to conclude today. The online engagement platform ‘haveyoursay’ will remain open until midnight tonight June 27th. The online platform was temporarily unavailable overnight and was ‘live’ again before 10am this morning. The six-week public consultation will finish today as scheduled”.
Within an hour of The Clare Echo flagging the system crash with Council officials, the online portal went live again. “A large number of submissions have already been received by Clare County Council as part of the consultation process for the Ennis Local Transport Plan. The online public consultation for the Ennis Local Transport Plan, which was temporarily inaccessible for a short period this morning, is now ‘live’ again and will remain open until midnight tonight, June 27. Clare County Council welcomes the input of the public during this consultation period,” a spokesperson for the Council told The Clare Echo.
