Talks are underway between Clare County Council and Google to dilute the instances of traffic being diverted to local minor roads via the technology company’s web mapping service.
Google have been alerted by Clare County Council’s roads department of “certain instances where they are directing traffic on to minor roads not suitable for such traffic,” administrative officer with the Council’s transportation department, John Corry confirmed.
Further communication will be issued to Google “emphasising to them to stop directing traffic on to such roads that are not suited physically or infrastructurally to the volume and nature of traffic being directed there,” he stated.
His comments came in response to a motion by Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) to a meeting of the West Clare Municipal District. He asked that ways be explored “of persuading Google to stop directing traffic on to minor roads that are not suited physically” to the volume of traffic.
Speaking on the matter, Cllr Killeen felt the multinational company had demonstrated an “insistence on sending cars through local roads”. He flagged that motorists were exiting the M18 from Gort and travelling by Kilnaboy Church while those trying to leave Kilnaboy for Kilfenora are directed towards Kilshanny.
“If you look at the map and leave Gort to come to Corofin you are bypassing the very villages we are talking about supporting, Corofin, Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna are all bypassed. We cannot afford the costs of doubling the roads,” Killeen said.
Support for the request was voiced by Cllr PJ Kelly (FF). “A well spoken lady is causing a lot of problems for us,” he declared. “Obviously she is not familiar with the county of Clare, we could invite her to Co Clare for a holiday and make her familiar with the roads of Clare. Let’s solve the problem by giving her a céad míle fáilte,” he quipped.
