Garrycastle / Altown / Cornamaddy
1 - November 2004:
‘ Do the Executive not feel that the Athlone Electoral Area should have it’s own full time procedures and methods in place to carry out verge cutting when required on all our National, Secondary, Regional & Local roads instead of waiting for the Mullingar Area to release their machines?
Reply:
This activity is coordinated by the Director of Transportation & Infrastructure and the matter will be taken up with him to ensure a satisfactory service to the Athlone area in 2005. If necessary the Athlone area will revert to a local contractor.
2 - March 2005:
‘That this Council provide a footpath from the Department of Education & Science to Cornamaddy National School and onto Dan’s Tavern in the interest of public safety’.
Reply:
Works in relation to footpaths will be included as part of the overall design for road improvements from Cornamaddy to the Garrycastle Railway Bridge. Cllr. Keena noted that safety was an issue at this location. Ivor Kilcline, Area Engineer advised that at the members request a traffic study was being carried out in this area and it would not be sensible to carry out any footpath works in advace of that.
3 - March 2005:
What is the delay in bringing the road design proposal for the Garrycastle Railway Bridge before the members?
Reply:
It is anticipated that Road Design will have a report completed in relation to best options available in the next four weeks.
4 - January 2005:
‘That this Council provide long awaited comprehensive plans and costings on how to alleviate traffic congestion on all it’s junctions from Cornamaddy N.S. to Garrycastle Bridge ( inclusive ) at our next meeting’.
Reply:
Road design has examined this route and the situation is as follows: Junction at Cornamaddy ---- Roundabout is the indicated solution to this junction. Detailed design will require to be undertaken.
Junction of R916 with the Athlone Relief Road:
These junctions are under pressure and traffic coming up the ramps off the N6 find it difficult to gain access to the R916. Further examinations need to be carried out with regard to cost and other implications in relation to proposals.
Garrycastle Bridge:
route selection for new bridge almost complete.
Final report from valuer expected within week. With regard to all three areas listed above it must be pointed out that the issues of funding and land acquisitions will require to be addressed. Cllr. Keena sought clarification as to time scales involved in advancing this. George Lambden advised that currently there were 24 various projects in the Athlone Area with the Road Design Office and it was not possible to give a definite time scale at this point but that he would follow up with Road Design.
5 - May 2005:
‘That this Council identify the piece of land not required by Road Design and dispose of it to Garrycastle GAA as soon as possible’.
Reply:
The Council owns 2.4 acres of land parallel to the off ramp from Dublin stretching from the N6 to R916. This will be very usefull in both providing the land necessary for the construction of the roundabout and for working space during the actual work should the job go ahead. The roundabout will take about 0.5 acres leaving 1.9 acres to be disposed of. These 1.9 acres is essential for working space during construction. The Council proposes to dispose of this land to the GAA club whose premises are adjacent and if this occurs without conditions being imposed, the chances of building a roundabout will be severely diminished and much more costly should it occur. Cllr. Keena noted reply and also that resolution by full Council had been passed to dispose excess land to Gattycastle GAA. He queried when the works would commence in this area. Ivor Kilcline advised that a timescale for this project was not available and that it was not on the priority list of roads projects agreed by the members at the March meeting.
6 - May 2005:
‘That this Council write to the owner of the derelict asbestos roofed shed at the junction of the Bullet road and the N55 at Cornmaddy requesting same to make the site more safe and presentable’.
Reply:
Westmeath County Council will write to the owner of the property seeking details of future development of this site. The owner will also be requested to carry out remedial works on the site and to maintain it in an acceptable condition until such time as development commences on the site. Cllr. Keena noted reply received and added that he had received a substantial amount of representations regarding this building concerning its dilapidated state.
7 - May 2005:
‘ That this Council discuss the special speed limit guidelines recently released by the Minister with the objective of making our roads safer’.
Reply:
This Council has received guidelines from the Department regarding the preparation of byelaws in this regard. A report in the matter is expected to be placed before the Transportation & Infrastructure Strategic Policy committee at their next meeting on the 8th June 2005.
8 - July 2005:
That this Council discuss the need to have development levies collected in the Athlone Electoral Area ring fenced to be spent on projects in the Athlone Electoral Area.
Reply:
This matter will be considered by the full council at it’s next meeting based on report recently circulated to the members. There is no provision for ring fencing unless they are special levies for specific projects.
9 - July 2005:
Can this Council suggest ways of making Iarnrod Eireann clean up weeds, bushes and ivy off the Garrycastle Railway Bridge, Bonnavalley Bridge and other railway bridges in the Athlone Area?
Reply:
The Athlone Area Office will make contact with Iarnrod Eireann in this matter requesting a clean up in these areas.
10 - July 2005:
Can this Council please erect directional signs on the Cornamaddy Road R916 to stop articulated lorries from taking the wrong turn up the Bliary/Moydrum Road L1427 in the interest of good traffic management?
Reply:
Roads Design Office has been requested to carry out a study of traffic management in these areas, which will include for provision of adequate signage.
11 - September 2005:
When will this Council start the process of putting special speed limits in place at all our schools and also on our local and regional roads?
Reply:
The Roads Section has prepared a procedure for the implementation of special speed limit bye-laws. It is intended that Area Committee would now identify locations where it is considered a special speed limit should apply. All identified locations throughout the County will be referred to Road Design for consideration against the special speed limit implementation policy agreed by the members at the July meeting. This will be followed by a consultative process following which the adoption of the bye-laws is a reserved function of the County Council.
12 - November 2005:
That this Council request Athlone Town Council to make urgent provision in their forthcoming estimates to repair the footpaths in Altown.
Reply:
A request in this regard will issue to Athlone Town Council.
13 - November 2005:
Can this Council please come to an urgent mutal agreement with the Garrycastle GAA Club to allow them acquire the part of the landlocked plot of land behind the FAS Training Centre that is not required for the proposed roundabout on the R916?
Reply:
In a previous query regarding land owned by Westmeath County Council the following reply was received from Road Design: The Council owns 2.4 acres of land parallel to the off ramp from Dublin stretching from the N6 to R916. This will be very usefull in both providing the land necessary for the construction of the roundabout and for working space during the actual work should the job go ahead. The roundabout will take about 0.5 acres leaving 1.9 acres to be disposed of. These 1.9 acres is essential for working space during construction.
14 - January 2006:
What is the present status of the Garrycastle Bridge project?
Reply:
This matter has been the subject of non-statutory public consultation and the Road Design Section is currently preparing a report for the consideration of the members.
15 - March 2006:
That this Council provide a section of footpath from Cornamaddy NS to the Department of Education.
Reply:
Road Design is preparing a design for a roundabout at the junction of the N55 at Cornamaddy National School. This design will include for the provision of footpaths.cycleways and pedestrian safety measures at this location in the vicinity of the school. While it is considered desirable to extend the footpath up to the Department of Education there are no monies available in the current budget to fund this proposal. Cllr. Keena noted his disappointment with response received. It was agreed that the members would revisit this issue in the context of the 2007 budget.
16 - March 2006:
What is the status of the proposed special speed limits submitted by the Area members last Autumn?
Reply:
The Area Office is completing a survey of the speed limit locations as required by the Speed Limits Implementation Policy adopted by the members. Area Office and Road Design will liaise in advance of finalizing the recommendations for the full Council.
17 - May 2006;
That this Council repair and widen to the proper regulation the footpath on the Cornamaddy National School side of the newly constructed convenience shop on the Ballymahon road.
Reply:
Footpaths and kerbing in this location are to be provided by the developer as part of the planning conditions attached to this development. The planning authority will follow up on this matter. Cllr. Keena advised that he had raised this issue as a result of the numerous complaints he had received in relation to this matter.
18 - May 2006:
Further to the excellent work carried out by this Council in erecting signage in the Athlone electoral area, can this Council now consider a programme of work erecting directional signs at all junctions on our roads in the area?
Reply:
There is an ongoing programme of replacement of directional signs on our local roads in the Athlone Area.
19 - May 2006:
When will we have a report on the proposed special speed limits for the Athlone Area?
Reply:
The Area Engineers are finalizing the proposals for 2006. Each area has had to validate many proposals as a result of the proposals received from members. This validation involves the assessment of current speeds, review of accident history and inspections of the road environment at each location. As soon as all areas have submitted their validated proposals, Road Design will commence the statutory processes for these locations. This is a countywide exercise and thus delays from any one area may cause some delay to the finalisation of draft by-laws. This is necessary because any special speed limits are affected by such by-laws. During the policy formulation process it was considered that the publication of speed limit by-laws more that once a year would not be efficient. We are expecting that this process will be completed 3 to 4 months ahead of the schedule given in the policy document.
20 - July 2006:
That this Council explains why and who prioritized a Housing Estate in Mullingar over Cornamaddy Housing Estate for the pilot remedial works scheme within the County announced in early 2005.
Reply:
The priority afforded to the estate in Mullingar is in keeping with the policy adopted by the Members in the Council’s Social & Affordable Housing Action Plan 2004-2008. Over the period of the Plan Westmeath County Council propose to progress 10 schemes. The Cornamaddy Housing Scheme is among the schemes identified. Cllr. Keena noted reply received and added that he didn’t accept the answer received.
21 - January 2007:
Now that both roundabouts at Cornamaddy National School and Clonbrusk have been approved through Part 8 can this Council give the members a timeframe for starting and completion of same?
Reply:
Consultants are currently preparing a detailed design for the roundabout at the R916/N55 as the priority junction. Work will commence when the design is completed and approved by the NRA. The executive will revert to the members regarding the Clonbrusk roundabout within the next 4 weeks.
22 - May 2007:
What is the delay in commencing the roundabout on the N55 at the Cornamaddy School Junction?
Reply:
Approval has been granted by the NRA and it is hoped that roundabout will commence by July 2007.
23 - July 2007:
That this Council as a matter of urgency replace the section of asbestos water mains pipe in Cornamaddy that has burst twice in the last four months causing damage to private property and also causing the loss of large volumes of water.
Reply:
A contractor is on site at present replacing this water main. Cllr. Keena referred to resultant damage caused to private property and the Director of Services undertook to examine individual cases.
24 - July 2007:
What is the delay in erecting the special speed limits signs that were adopted by the Council about six months ago?
Reply:
Athlone Area Office received details of the agreed locations from road design and will arrange the erection of these signs asap. In response to Cllr. Keena it was confirmed that the operative speed limits are as approved in the respective areas but that they are ineffective pending the erection of appropriate signage.
2 - July 2007:
Has this Council completed a detail design of the Garrycastle Bridge?
Reply:
Drawings for the Compulsory Purchase Order process have been completed and it is intended to advertise the CPO within the next fortnight. Personnel from Roads Section met most of the landowners in June and letters will issue within the next week. The detailed design process will commence when the CPO has been confirmed.
3 - September 2007:
That this Council in partnership with Athlone Town Council discuss the need to provide municipal football pitches in the Athlone area.
Reply:
The Council is concentrating its sports facilities on a single campus managed by the Athlone Regional Sports Centre Ltd., at Cloghanboy and any facilities required will be considered by the Board and subject to demand and funding can be provided on the campus. The critcal mass and professional management available on the sports centre site should not be diluted or lost by the unnecessary dispersal of expensive facilities around the Town. Cllr. Keena stressed the need for municipal pitches outside this site highlighting that open spaces in some housing estates are not being maintained and they are ideal for communal sport activities in association with the residents. Stating more pitches are required for various sporting groups he felt they should be managed by Westmeath County Council / Athlone Town Council.
4 - September 2007:
That this Council provide a footpath from Cornamaddy National School to the Department of Education and it to be funded from our Development Levies.
Reply:
There is a need for a footpath at this location. The funding sources available to the Council will be examined.
5 - September 2007:
Now that the funding is available to upgrade Blyry Business Park, can this Council explain the reason for the delay in starting the work?
Reply:
A Contractor has been appointed to commence works in the Area on the 17th September. It is intended that this work will be undertaken as part of the works programme.
6 - September 2007:
What is the delay by this Council in widenng the section of footpath on the Cornamaddy School side of Fox’s Shop on the Ballymahon road?
Reply:
There are no plans to widen this section of footpath.
7 - November 2007:
That this Council request the Minister for Health & Children to include Osteoporosis in the Longterm Illness Scheme.
Reply:
This request can issue.
8 - November 2007:
Did this Council receive the design proposals yet from the consultants for better traffic management at the Moydrum road/N6 ramps/Cornamaddy road junctions?
Reply:
The consultants report is expected in about two weeks.
9 - November 2007:
What is the present status of the proposed Garrycastle Bridge re-alignment project?
Reply:
The Oral Hearing for the Garrycastle CPO was held on the 6th November 07. It is anticipated that the result of this will be known within the next four months. In the meantime the process of procuring consultants for the construction work will commence. However we will not be in a position to engage the consultants until such time as the CPO is confirmed. Westmeath Co. Co. has made application to the DOT for funding for the year 2008 for this work and it is anticipated that the amount of this will be known early in the new year.
10 - January 2008:
That this Council provide money in it’s road block grant for 2008 to repair and widen the 70 meters of footpath on the N55 immediately to the east of the Daybreak supermarket on the Ballymahon road.
Reply:
When funding is allocated, a schedule for footpath repairs will be tabled for the members consideration and approval.
11 - January 2008:
Can this Council provide filter lane markings on the road as it enters the Cornamaddy Roundabout?
Reply:
This work has been completed.
