Leitrim residents would be 'very annoyed if road was put back in dangerous state it had been in'

A Leitrim councillor has asked road widening works which were carried out on the L7315-0 in Aghacashel and Mullaghagarve be completed to a better standard to remain in place permanently saying the improvements are of benefit to everyone using the road.

He was told that road widening works the L-7315-0 in Aghacashal and Mullaghagarve was carried out by a forestry company for forestry activities under Health and safety grounds. "The current plan is to reinstate the existing road layout. The forestry owner had an agreement in place with the landowner to utilise the private property each side of the public road.  We are in communications with this forestry company to see if this situation can be progressed," the official response stated.

Cllr Barry said that many people on the road would be "annoyed if it was put back in the dangerous state it had been in. The junction down the road happened as a result of a lorry overturning and going off the side of the road and the forestry company then had to recover the truck and carry out maintenance works". 

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He continued: "Further up the road is a very sharp S-bend at the bottom of a very steep hill and there was another incidence where a lorry went off the road and there have been other incidents where lorries have got caught or went of the road. Out of necessity again, the forestry company had to carry out repair works and widening works."

He stressed: "I'm hoping these works have made that road somewhat safer; it creates a safe place to pull when meeting traffic. I would like these works to be improve and there is a possible agreement between the forestry companies to put a permanent surface on these at their own cost."

Cllr Gary Prior supported the motion. 

Emma Donohoe, district engineer, said the works carried out were "supposed to be a temporary situation but if the landowners are happy with the situation to remain, they can give their consent. We have liaised with the forestry company to get official consent and they would put some funding towards it permanently done."