McDonald welcomes town investment

Sinn Féin county councillor Paddy McDonald has welcomed proposals to tackle safety concerns at the busy Market Square junction in Bailieborough.

A sum of €100,000 was allocated to the council to hire a team of consultants to carry out an important survey of the convergence of Main Street, the R165 from Kingscourt, the R178 to Virginia, and Institute Road. The funding was allocated under the National Transport Authority’s Active Travel Fund.

They'll weigh up what option will be best moving forward. It has already been accepted that installing a roundabout is all but impossible, and that a light system may prove tricky. Suggestions in the past include that the Kingscourt Road entrance be made a one-way system and a 'left turn only' onto Market Square.

Cllr McDonald is adamant that, whatever the solution, it must be done in the best interests of the town.

The local elective representative is delighted that works are set to begin on refurbishing the footpath along Barrack Street to where it meets with Henry Street, replacing the existing paving with a hard-wearing concrete surface. He welcomes too recent road restoration works carried out on the R178 Shercock to Bailieborough Road.

The town, meanwhile, has received a significant amount of funding over past two years for various road projects.

Earlier this year €70,000 was granted to examine and carry out improvements at the junction of Church Street and New Road in Bailieborough; while in 2021 more than €200,000 was spent between three projects.

They included €100,000 on road and pedestrian improvements at Curkish Lane; €65k for a footpath extension at L-3540, Lisnalea; and €65,000 to deliver a junction tightening on the R165 Kingscourt Road.

Cllr McDonald says the impending survey of what the town needs is "important".

"A lot of work has been done, but more is needed. Our town has been crying out for investment for a number of years now and it's great to see things moving as they are and hopefully that can continue.