Some Laois roads disintegrating due to Climate Change
Call for emergency fund as 'incessant rain' takes its toll on road surfaces
Three year council road programmes may no longer be advisable due to Climate Change, a councillor has suggested.
Independent Cllr Ollie Clooney raised the issue while the latest roads programme was being discussed at the latest monthly meeting of Laois County Council.
“I would question the three year programme,” said Cllr Clooney.
“The roads can go from very good to very bad in a short period of time,” he said.
“It is just to do with the bad weather. It is to do with Climate Change really,” said Cllr Clooney.
“I would like to see a separate emergency fund for when the road disintegrates very quickly,” he added.
Fianna Fail Cllr Paddy Bracken said there had been “incessant rainfall” all year.
“If this persists and continues we are going to have very poor roads in a lot of country areas,” he said.
He said a lot of damage was being done to roads in Mountmellick due to traffic avoiding the town. “We certainly could do with more funding,” he said.
Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming said “the roads are actually getting worse because of the intense rain.”
Fine Gael Cllr John King said some of the roads in Rathdowney were “like Beirut” at the moment.
Independent Cllr Ben Brennan said he would like to see more outdoor staff employed by the council. “We are out in a rural area and we are not getting the money we should get,” he said.
In his roads report to the council, Director of Services Simon Walton said “Condition Ratings illustrate that ongoing investment in the rehabilitation and improvement of the road network is enhancing overall quality.”
“It must, however, be noted that prevailing weather conditions, above average rainfall, high water tables, coupled with periodic frosts, provide a scenario whereby the Roadworks Scheme 2024 is presented against the backdrop of a challenging winter for the road network, with an upturn in potholes, rainwater run-off related damage to road edges etc. Significant resources from Roadworks Scheme 2024 will be targeted towards remedying the adverse impacts of Winter 2023/2024,” he stated.