Demand to clean road signs

Cavan County Council is being asked to clean and mend road signs across County Cavan.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Craig Lovett put forward the motion at the Ballyjamesduff Municipal District Meeting last week.

“When you’re driving down the road, they’re dirty and you can’t make out what’s on them, or they’re bent or facing the wrong way," he said at the meeting.

Agreeing with the motion, Independent Councillor Shane P O’Reilly stated that if someone was hired “20 hours a week to go around” maintaining signage it would be sufficient.

In response, senior executive engineer John McGahern said that outdoor workers maintain the signs “when they get a chance”.

“Our roads are potholed everywhere,” highlighted Mr McGahern, stating that the condition of the roads takes priority over signage, and there are not enough resources in the council to do both. “I have to prioritise that,” he said.

Members of the meeting then suggested outsourcing the maintenance of road signage, to which McGahern responded it would “come with a price”.

“I have one pot of money and I have to decide whether to fix the roads or fix the signs on the side of the road.”

The engineer then gave an example of Dunancory Bridge in Virginia where he said there is an issue on the road for those turning from the Ballyjamesduff Road towards Cranadillon.

”A lorry’s going to go into that field yet,” he said.

Some of the money in “the pot” will go towards resolving this issue and others like it, meaning there will be less funds available to maintain signs.