70 estates in county not having street lights replaced
Residents in estates across County Galway are living in fear of leaving their homes at night because many of them have been plunged into darkness – they no longer have any street lighting.
And they are also concerned about their children returning home from study as they fear for them being attacked.
It has been learned that there are almost 70 housing estates across County Galway which have not been taken in charge by Galway County Council and most of them have to ‘paddle their own canoe’.
In the aftermath of the recession and the fact that many estate management companies are no longer in existence, the bulbs on the street lighting are not being replaced.
Galway County Council are now being asked to take responsibility for the street lighting in estates where the builders or management companies will no longer carry out essential maintenance.
The Council have been told that residents will not leave their homes to go for a walk at night as their estates are being left without fewer and fewer street lights. When the bulbs blow, they are not being replaced in many cases.
It resulted in a motion from Tuam councillor Shaun Cunniffe to a Galway County Council meeting pleading with the local authority to ‘take in charge’ the street lighting in estates in the interest of health and safety for the residents.
Cllr Cunniffe from put the motion before Galway County Council demanding that they replace blown street lights in estates and then follow the developer for the costs involved. He was told that the Council did not have the budget to stretch this far.
Galway County Council do use development bonds lodged by developers for essential maintenance to be carried out, but when it comes to street lighting it is a more complex situation.
There are situations in which residents in estates that have not been taken in charge by Galway County Council have been expected to cough up the cost of maintaining street lighting in their areas in an effort to make it safe for them to walk or exercise after dark.
“I know that there are estates in north Galway, where the developers are nowhere to be seen, are falling into darkness and not alone is this a health and safety issue, but it also has the potential for criminal activity to take place.
“Only last week I asked Galway County Council to intervene by providing the lighting necessary and they tell me that it is not within their budget.
“We are looking at a situation in which young students are returning home after study into estates which are partially left in darkness. This is not acceptable,” Cllr Cunniffe told a meeting of Galway County Council.
The matter is going to be raised at the April meeting of Galway County Council at which it will be suggested that every street light in every estate in the county be replaced once they are blown.