Council keen to quell Rathedmond residents’ concern about reopening of throughway in their estate

CONCERNS raised by residents of the Rathedmond Estate in Sligo that modifications to the existing entry and traffic movement restrictions in the estate are going to change and result in a ‘throughway’ for motorbikes or scooters are without foundation an official from Sligo County Council stated at a meeting on Monday where those concerns were raised.

Residents were told the Council are keen to quell any concerns residents might have.

Cllr Tom MacSharry said residents there had fought a long battle to have the estate closed off from through traffic and were now anxious that plans may be afoot to open the state up again.

Cllr MacSharry, at the request of residents, proposed a motion that any modifications of the existing entry/traffic movement restrictions in the urban area of Rathedmond estate would only proceed following full consultation and agreement with all residents directly impacted by any such proposed changes.

He said there are “justifiable concerns” with modifications to existing entry/traffic movement restrictions in the urban area of Rathedmond Estate.

He said the current design is not acceptable to residents who have a concern it will become a throughway for motorbikes and scooters.

He said he was “heartened” that since he put down the motion there had been a meeting between the Council and the Rathedmond Residents’ Association. “I welcome that there was a meeting. It is an issue that needs full engagement and full consultation to ensure we wouldn’t have an opening of the throughway.”

Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady said that because of what happened in the past, residents there were anxious. Co-operation and consultation were vital, she said.

Thomas Kerins, Sligo County Council, said there are no plans for an opening of the throughway again. He said the plans are more to do with enhancing accessibility for bicycles.

He said he was “keen to quell any of those major concerns”.

Cllr Declan Bree said genuine consultation usually leads to positive results for people in the community and the local authority.