‘Excuses have run out’ for Station Road - Fitzpatrick

Alternative funding options are being sought to resurface Station Road in Cootehill.

The motion was raised by Cllrs Aiden Fitzpatrick (FF) and Carmel Brady (FG) at a recent Cootehill Bailieborough Municipal District meeting.

Highlighting the issue, Cllr Brady stated “everyone you meet is talking about the surface of the road”.

She explains how people are approaching her saying “the neck on us walking around the town doing jobs when Station Road” is in such need of attention.

Agreeing with his colleague, Cllr Aiden Fitzpatrick stated “at this stage excuses have run out”.

He explained the issue affects “only 100 to 200 yards” of road.

“In this day and age it’s not really acceptable,” he observed.

In response, Senior Executive Alan Lyons stated “we’re getting the same complaints”.

He outlined many elements that need to be completed prior to the resurfacing of the road so as not to waste money in the future.

He stated the council are “looking for alternative funding streams”.

“It is one of the priorities however at this moment we don’t have a funding stream,” said Mr Lyons.

Mr Lyons also explained the council are having a “tough time getting engineers”.

Upon councillors assuming the road would not be resurfaced in this calendar year, Mr Lyon stated “it could be, we want to get an element complete in 2023. If all goes well we’ll start in 2023 - but that’s all going to plan.”

Footpath

In response, Cllr Fitzpatrick stated “the bit I don’t understand” is the road received funding of €500,000 under the Active Travel Grant six months ago.

“How long does it take? Really and truly, it’s not good enough. It takes that long to design a footpath.

“You can’t ride a bike into town without getting the arse chawed off you. People are getting fed up. You have to have the entrance into the town a bit better.”

Mr Lyons stated the TII had given quite a substantial sum of money through the Active Travel Grant, and therefore more time must go into the planning. “It’s a significant investment, it takes time,” he explained. Joining the debate, Fianna Fáil Councillor Clifford Kelly queried why the funding was being used for footpaths and not the resurfacing of the road as the issue is “embarrassing for local councillors”.

Mr Lyons stated the point of the Active Travel Grant is to encourage people to “get out of their cars”.

The senior executive told the meeting the council would “keep an eye on it” and patch it when needed until it is resurfaced.

In the meantime, he stated when preliminary designs are made available, they will be shown to councillors.