Dear Editor,
As Galway City slows to a halt in the mornings and evenings, may I suggest that we cannot make the optimum use of the many roundabouts unless drivers indicate for their exits. I estimate that at least half of the drivers do not indicate, thus making the smooth movement of traffic both slow and dangerous.

Secondly, a review of speed limits was to be carried out, but I have not seen any changes. On the excellent stretch of road from the Tuam Road roundabout to the Menlo Park Hotel, keeping to 50 kph causes an obstruction and increases overtaking. This road is able to accommodate a higher limit. Is there any need to comment on the limit from Galway Airport to Ballybrit?

Is the Claregalway bypass dead? Are the planning officials and the council members proud of the way that they have allowed the village to grow into a town, with no improvements in the infrastructure? In the interim, could they not try a simple footbridge or underpass?

On the entire west coast, Co. Galway now has three worst bottlenecks of Gort, Claregalway and Tuam. How can business or tourism thrive and how can workers get to work on time? What do council members talk about at their meetings? Do they expect voters to tolerate this any longer?

When will the Derrydonnell junction get improved? It is extremely dangerous and badly designed. Who planted shrubs to block visibility? Did the same engineer plan the slip exit for Athenry and the slip exit from the Quincentennial Bridge? The angles are totally wrong, as drivers cannot use their mirrors.

The real Co. Galway gem is the road structure under the railway bridge in Abbeyknockmoy on the N63. The road dips just underneath the bridge and is not long enough to accommodate a long vehicle, so as the front of the vehicle begins to rise, the remaining part gets stuck under the bridge. Did I read that somebody has the bright idea to raise the railway? To add a bit of extra spice, the road is usually flooded.

The elected officials at all levels must risk losing a few votes by challenging the lack of co-operation by some landowners for improving the roads. They must point out that ownership of land is not an absolute right and that it is a subject to the common good. The government should have ensured that since we joined the EU in 1973, most of the funding should have been used for the improvement of the general infrastructure of the country, rather than huge amounts given to any particular group. By doing that, every citizen would have benefited, employment would have soared, costs of industry and workers would be much lower and we would not have the present transport mess, which must be a major problem and cost for industry.

So, in conclusion, Galway City Council and Galway County Council can be proud of the mess the county is in. Apart from in the city itself, there has been no major improvement in the county since approximately 1993, when a short piece of carriageway was done near Hogan Motors. There is no point blaming the NRA, as who was in charge before the NRA was established?

Do we ever read about debates on bypassing villages on national routes, or the scandalous ribbon development in Cregmore?

I am not hopeful because there is a total lack of planning and intelligent debate.

Le gach dhea-mhein,
Frustrated

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