North Mayo councillors told Ballina eastern bypass not a priority
Ballina councillors were informed that TII's main focus in Ballina is progressing the western bypass
North Mayo councillors were advised that hopes of progressing an eastern by-pass for Ballina need to be dampened as Transport Infrastructure Ireland will not countenance two projects in the town.
The monthly meeting of the Ballina Municipal District heard calls once again for the eastern by-pass of Ballina to be progressed alongside the western by-pass in order to help solve traffic problems in the town.
In recent months, local councillors have been calling for the eastern by-pass to be prioritised as the number one road project for north Mayo and these calls were once again raised at the October monthly meeting of the municipal district.
Fine Gael councillor John O'Hara urged his colleagues, Cllr Annie May Reape and Cllr Marie Therese Duffy not to remain silent when they meet with the TII as part of a delegation from Mayo County Council.
“The route for the eastern by-pass is sterilised but nothing has happened with it for 30 years,” he said.
“I would ask anybody that's on that committee when you go to Dublin to make sure you make a strong case. Go around and make the case strong and I'd like to see our minister Dara Calleary, and Senator Mark Duffy, and anyone else who is at that meeting to go strong for it and try to get that in. So when you go up there, don't sit back, keep shouting,” he said.
Cllr O'Hara said he was of the impression that funding is available for the eastern by-pass in 2027 but Director of Services, Catherine McConnell said that the TII's priority in Ballina is on the western by-pass.
“The main focus is progressing the western bypass, which is at a much more advanced stage. They are continuing to discuss the eastern bypass but my understanding is that the feedback from TII is the western bypass is the priority. The most we can hope for is for some money to allocate it to carry out the study and that's that's the best scenario.
“I think we need to realize that TII won't countenance discussing two projects at the same time. The western bypass, which is at a much more advanced stage with retail design, is where they are. We can't be looking for both to have equal parity at this time. But they certainly will be raising that matter with them,” she said.
Cathaoirleach of the Ballina Municipal District, Cllr Annie May Reape who will attend the meeting with the TII said that she will raise projects with officials but accepted that the main project is the western bypass around the N26.
Cllr Marie Therese Duffy said that the meeting will have a busy agenda as it will involve councillors from all over Mayo and she would prefer a meeting just to discuss Ballina projects.
“We will definitely be pushing hard for it and hopefully with all the campaigning, 2027 will see the start of the funding for the project. It is still going to be ten years down the line but it will be a start,” she said.