Safety audit demanded for motorway blackspot
A section of motorway between Gort and Crusheen is steadily gaining an unwelcome reputation as an accident blackspot – and now a safety audit has been demanded.
The motorway was closed for a two week period during the month of August as the National Roads Authority carried out works. But these works have been described as insufficient with, instead, a major realignment suggested.
Local FF councillor Gerry Finnerty said that the NRA just resurfaced three small sections of the motorway on either side.
“None of them are any longer than 100 metres,” he said.
And he described the recent closure of the section of motorway as just a public relations stunt on the part of the National Roads Authority.
“There have been countless accidents on this section of the motorway motorists often ploughing into the crash barriers during wet days so there is obviously a problem with the surface,” Cllr. Finnerty said.
He said that he was now going to raise the matter at this month’s meeting of Galway County Council as it was obvious that a safety audit needed to be carried out.
The Gort-based councillor said that this section of motorway was closed on a regular basis in order to clear away accidents that regularly occur.
“Since this stretch of motorway opened a number of accidents have occurred and many calls have been made by me to carry out a safety audit which I believe was done and but I did not receive the report on this.
“During the closure just three short stretches on either side were resurfaced none of them any longer than 100 and as short as 30 metres. And it created mayhem in Galway because was one of the busiest times of the year,” Cllr. Finnerty added.
He says that one of the main problems with the motorway is that it retains surface water for much longer than it should and this could possibly be a cause of so many accidents occurring.
“For a two week closure you would expect major realignment but this has not happened. I will now be putting down a notice of motion question for this month’s meeting of Galway County Council as to what money was spent by the NRA,” he added.