Ballyshannon Market Yard plans begin on transformation of area at lower Main Street 

Clr Barry Sweeny(FG) has welcomed news that Donegal County Council is preparing some works to the rear of the Market Yard with the anticipation of joining it up to link it with the new road adjoining the yet unopened multi million euro new Sheil/South Donegal Community Hospital.

He told the DonegalLive:

“Work has started in recent days for the facilitation of the Road coming from the Sheil Hospital into the town centre by the Market Yard.

“That is good as we know that there are bigger plans for the Market Yard area and this is just to fit on and tie in with the road infrastructure there.

“So they are now creating safe walking pedestrian access through the Market Yard now which will be widening of a footpath area and creating two crossing points which will also be raised crossing points, so it will slow down the traffic going through along this road.

“The problem there is really the crossing over the road at the bottom of the Main Street, the front of Slevin’s Shop over towards McGahern’s. And that is the area that is tricky to fit in because of all the different junctions, but that is the one spot where we will need to remove one of the car parking spaces outside of Slevin’s, which is agreed by the local businesses and that will create a safe passage across the road. 

ABOVE: The new Sheil Hospital road will run on through the Market Yard and connect with lower Main Street 

“I do not believe it will be traffic lights, just a zebra crossing with flashing orange lights, but that is up to final design and it is needed as you see buses pulled in there and you can’t see past them and you see people trying to cross over with luggage and shopping bags and it is a real area of concern.

Traffic Flow

He said that in terms of the traffic flow in that area, there were plans afoot that would eventually see traffic coming out of the Market Yard and only being able to turn left onto the Allingham Bridge and requiring to go around the roundabout, if drivers wished to go back up the town.

“It has been talked about for years and I have often heard it, that when you come out of the Market Yard, there should be no right turn and only left and around the roundabout to get back up the town. And similarly if you are coming out of the Saimer Court Shopping Centre that you would go up the town or through the Gables. If we tie it into this Active Travel cycleway (Bundoran-Ballyshannon) which come comed in as far as the roundabout, it would create that additional safety that would be required, if we can get the funding through that.”          

He added that a lot of the work for the time being will see things remain as they are and there will be two way traffic into and out of the Market Yard from the Main Street.

Referencing the situation that would pertain at College Street, he explained:

“It will remain a two-way road at College Street as well. People think that it is going to be a one way system but I think it will naturally become a bit far one way system, particularly for school traffic, which is the problem time on that street. People will drive up the town, cross College Street and down by the Sheil.”