Public meeting calls for changes to Donegal Town’s one-way system

A public meeting attended by around 100 people in Donegal Town saw much airing of frustration at congestion and parking issues resulting from the construction of a one-way system in the town. 

Other concerns voiced by those in attendance included narrow streets, the choice of brick paving on footpaths, a shortage of loading bays, and difficulty for buses and other large vehicles in negotiating some of the junctions. 

The meeting was chaired by Mayor of Donegal Town, Pauric Kennedy. 

Work began on the one-way system late last year, following a trial period in which the changes were marked out with cones, barriers and detour signs. 

With work now almost complete bar some further works and road resurfacing, some members of the community are filled with frustration at the changes. Combined with ongoing work on the Diamond, many are questioning why so much change was deemed necessary in the first place.

Mr Kennedy opened the meeting by saying: “We are here to discuss the one-way system, the lack of parking, and how we can form a delegation to go and meet the council and air our views.”

There were no councillors present. However, it has emerged that they were invited to a previously arranged meeting with the ADOPT committed in Pettigo, and that not all had received an invitation to the Donegal Town meeting. 

See also: Councillors respond to accusations that they snubbed Donegal Town meeting

Also on the top table at the meeting were local businessmen Seoirse O’Toole, Brian Gallagher, Garreth Britton and George Henderson.

Mr Kennedy told those gathered: “There was a letter signed by 47 businesses that went to the council, and out of that an eight-page report came back.”

Seoirse O’Toole said a group of businesses from the north side of the town met in March to discuss the implications of the ongoing traffic management works.

“We were concerned about the negative impacts of some of the work and we decided to send a letter to Donegal County Council, to Mark Sweeney and the councillors,” he said.

In advance of this, he said, the group canvassed the businesses in the town.

“The level of frustration and anger we discovered really shook us,” he said. “”People were really, really upset about some of the features of what was going on.”

The letter was sent, and a response was received on Wednesday, the day before the meeting. 

At a request from the floor, the contents of the response were outlined.

Mr O’Toole said that the response included information about changes to the original plans; a denial that a submission from a Water Street business had been rejected because it missed the closing date; that Water Street was only ever capable of accommodating single line traffic and the vision lines at the top of the street were restricted and that parking spaces on the mainly residential street could not be removed; and an acknowledgement that making Water Street a one way was an inconvenience to some. However it was stated that it was in keeping with Active Travel plans, urban renewal and road safety. 

It was said in the reply that junctions had been tested for large vehicles being able to manoeuvre. 

It was also said that a review of parking spaces is due to take place as part of a wider bye-law review later in the year.

Other points related to the temporary arrangement for parking at the Bosco Centre during the construction phase coming to an end recently. The full report has been circulated to businesses, and Pauric Kennedy said it can be copied should anyone wish to receive a copy. 

Among the speakers from the floor was Lynn Temple of Magees.

He said: “We are not against the overall pedestrianisation of the town. But what is actually happening is not working and it is damaging the commercial centre of the town and it is damaging it socially.

“There is no point in us sitting here having a rant against the council. We have to work with them. We are not road engineers. I would suggest that a small delegation as you suggested, goes to the council and meets in as constructive a way as possible because some provisions to the present situation have to be made.”

Others questioned the wisdom of such wide footpaths, and concerns were also expressed about the lack of places for the AVS students to sit and hang out during their lunch breaks. 

There were some very heated comments from the floor, many of which related to the absence of councillors and council representatives at the meeting. 

Archdeacon David Huss voiced his frustration at the reduction in the number of proposed parking spaces on Tyrconnell Street, as compared to 15 in the original plans. His previous submission had led to a small increase to what he described as ‘four and a half’ parking spaces outside the Church of Ireland. But coupled with the closure to the public of the old Post Office car park, his parishioners were among those most greatly affected by the one-way system. 

It also forced funeral corteges to travel the long way around the town to get from the Diamond to the church, with family members in the cortege then having to go elsewhere in the town in search of parking spaces. 

There were calls from the floor for protests, for withholding of rates and for people to come together to stand up for the town and for what people wanted. 

A delegation was formed to take the issues raised to Donegal County Council.