Sections of Gorey footpaths in bad need of repair

SECTIONS of footpaths around Gorey town are badly in need of repair, the Gorey Municipal District meeting last told last week.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne highlighted the state of the path outside the 64 on the Avenue, and the path from the traffic lights up to the garda station. He added that the paths on Esmonde Street are in poor condition, as is a section of path at Clonattin on the way up to the graveyard.

Engineer Neville Shaw said he was very aware of the footpaths that need certain works, and he was putting together a three year programme which he hoped would get rolling funding.

‘ The main concern is wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties,’ said Malcolm.

‘ There are other areas that need work as well,’ Neville pointed out. ‘ There’s a footpath in Ferns that needs repair.’

Cllr Anthony Donohoe welcomed the new bus stop in Camolin, and looked forward to the new one on Main Street in Gorey. He asked if it was known how long it was since the footpaths that have cracked up, were laid, and who the contractors were. Mr Shaw replied that they weren’t new footpaths.

Cllr Fionntán O Súilleabháin asked about plans for resurfacing the road from Ballytegan to the Rock. ‘It is part of our surface dressing programme in July,’ Neville told him.

Cllr Pip Breen asked about plans to strengthen the Cahore to Kilmichael road. September, he was told. Pip thanked him for the work done in the Harrow road and at Boolavogue School.

Cllr Robbie Ireton asked for vegetation to be cut back at a junction at Clonevan as he feared for safety. He also asked about plans to fence off tennis courts in Riverchapel; a back road in Ferns which needs drainage; and felt new ramps at An Ban, Riverchapel, aren’t effective, and asked if other ways could be found to slow traffic down.

Neville told him the vegetation at Clonevan can only be cut now if it’s a safety issue; he can look to make the tennis courts safer if it’s not costly; that he’ll talk to Irish Water about remediation works on the back road in Ferns before doing surface dressing; and that a 30km/h zone could be introduced in An Ban to give the gardaí powers to check for speeding.