Letterkenny to extend an invitation to Minister to witness traffic problems

The Letterkenny-Milford MD of Donegal County Council will soon extend an invitation to Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien to visit Letterkenny and witness the town’s traffic problems.

The invite comes on the back of a motion by Councillor Gerry McMonagle raised at the municipal district meeting. Cllr McMonagle said the visit would give the council an opportunity to stress the urgent need for major road infrastructure upgrades.

READ NEXT: Woman in her 80s hit with €1,600 fire service bill following minor crash in Donegal

“There is no better way for a Minister to learn about what is happening in a county than to visit themselves,” he said.

“It is long past time we are given the necessary finances to address the traffic, delays and disruption we are having, and have been having for a number of years.”

Cllr McMonagle pointed to the need for investment in the TEN-T road network, the Southern Relief Road (Leck Road) and Northern Relief Road (Windyhall Road).

Cllr McMonagle said the relief roads need to be developed in tandem with the TEN T project, particularly the Bonagee link.

Councillors have this week approved Part 8 planning for the Northern Relief road, which will cost approx €20million. Cllr McMonagle said this would only be a “drop in the ocean” to the Department of Transport for the development of such a strategic route.

He also suggested that if the Minister is not available to travel to Letterkenny, a delegation from the council should meet him in Dublin, along with the roads engineer and the road designers.

Seconding the call for the Minister’s visit, Cllr Michael McBride said that “time is not on our side”.

“As councillors, we have great concern that these projects are taking much too long to deliver,” he said. “There are heavy tailbacks on all our arterial routes, and yesterday (Wednesday) was probably one of the worst examples.”

Cllr McBride said that Letterkenny’s economic future could hinge on tackling traffic congestion.

“You work hard to make Letterkenny a place where people can work and invest," he said. "We have been successful working with the IDA in bringing jobs to Letterkenny. We need to make sure that we future-proof the town.

“If any company comes to Letterkenny with the potential of setting up a business, the only thing that will kill us is the infrastructure and the ability to get into and out of the town. If they arrive at half eight or nine in the morning, they will turn around and walk away.”

The motion was also supported by Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford, Cllr Ciaran Brogan, but he said it would be more beneficial for members of the MD to first meet with senior executives of the council to get the town’s major road projects up to speed.

He said: “If the Minister came tomorrow, I don’t think that would work. We need to sit around the table and have everybody at senior level sitting down before the Minister comes.”

In a separate motion, Cllr Brogan proposed that the council arrange a meeting with the National Transport Authority (NTA) to discuss future plans for Letterkenny.

“Letterkenny is a national growth centre, and we need to look at our plans as a matter of urgency,” said Cllr Brogan, “This includes the role of the NTA and engagement with projects such as the URDF (Urban Regeneration and Development Fund), the transport hub, the town bus service, and many other aspects of the NTA’s work.”