N17 WORKS SUSPENDED

PLANS TO CARRY OUT ESSENTIAL SAFETY WORKS ALONG N17 ARE NO LONGER ON AGENGA

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PLANS for upgrade works along the busy N17 are now suspended according to Transport Infrastructure Ireland ( TII). The news was revealed at yesterday’s meeting of Sligo County Council and was met by anger from Cllrs Margaret Gormley and Seamus Kilgannon. Cllr Gormley had queried what the situation was regarding the N17 and was informed by Director of Services Tom Kilfeather that the scheme was suspended.

Cllr Gormley said: “In relation to national roads and major schemes, it seems every road in the country seems to be mentioned except the N17. It seems to have gone off the radar completely and I’m concerned. This route was selected 15 years ago, back in 2001 and now there is no mention about it at the top table.

“It is a major route that is very beneficial to Sligo town and the whole area of south Sligo,” Cllr Gormley pointed out.

“I’m asking for a report to put it back on the agenda again.”

Cllr Kilgannon added: “I couldn’t agree more with Cllr Gormley about this. It’s an absolute disgrace that nothing is being done. We are going to have to continue to highlight this. At the beginning we were told the N4 and the N17 were going to be done under the one contract and now there is no mention about the N17. We hope that our national representatives will take note,” Cllr Kilgannon added.

Tom Kilfeather, Director of Services, said that the scheme was no longer on the agenda of the TII.

He said: “I don’t know what to say, the scheme is suspended. That is the official line of the TII.

“If we are to send a report it will be a very short report. There is no appetite from the TII in relation to the N17 scheme. They say they have enough in the pipeline at the moment in relation to Sligo. We can make up a report and submit it to the TII.” the Director of Services added.

Cllr Gormley responded: “We need to push it from here and we need our national representatives to push it too. We can’t see the N17 neglected. This council has done more that any other authority regarding reports and anytime we sent a report to the NRA it came back looking for something else, it’s not good enough,” Cllr Gormley maintained.

She said the county of Sligo needed fair play and the roads authority didn’t seem to show any interest in the N17 scheme.

“If they don’t have the appetite, but we do,” she added.

Cllr Kilgannon said that he is well aware of the issues surrounding the route. “I have an interest in this road as it’s the area where I’m from and I travel it regularly.

“As a National Primary route it is the most dangerous in the country and I’ve highlighted this. Now the N17 seems to have been completely shot down.

“If the impetus was to start now it would be a long time before any works are carried out.

“People representing the area at national level should hang their heads in shame, they have neglected this project.

“I hope this will be highlighted in the local press as this route is highly, highly dangerous,” Cllr Kilgannon said.