'Hard to expect miracles from the council when the funding's not there'

Cllr Michael McBride put forward the motion calling for maintenance to be carried out on footpaths and cycle lanes along the N56.

The independent councillor brought the motion to the Letterkenny-Milford MD meeting, asking the council to cut back hedges and grass on pathways and cycle lanes on the road connecting Kilmacrennan through Illistrin to the Mountain Top Roundabout.

“In some places, the hedges are growing out onto the walkway and cycleway,” Cllr McBride said. “The grass on both sides of the paths is starting to converge… the pathways have narrowed down now by a foot and a half, I’d say.”

The council’s written response stated that no funding has been provided by Transport Infrastructure Ireland to maintain the walkway and cycle paths mentioned in Cllr McBride’s motion.

The council added that when possible, they carry out maintenance works along the route, such as hedge trimming and grass cutting. However, the council stated that as these works are funded from the National Roads maintenance allocation, any expenditure incurred reduces the funding available for the maintenance of the adjoining road network.

“A huge investment of taxpayer money has gone into delivering cycle lanes…” Cllr McBride responded. “It’s not acceptable that these are delivered at a huge cost and there's no money following them.

Cllr McBride further noted the lack of funding provided for the maintenance of Greenways in the county.

“I feel like I’m beating a drum that I’m sick of listening to,” he said. “For the government to be delivering these types of projects and not putting funding behind it for the maintenance of it is totally unfair on the county council.

“It’s hard to expect miracles from the council when the funding's not there…The budget is not enough to keep the cycleway and pathways in good condition.”

Seconding the motion, Cllr Tomás Seán Devine, 100% Redress, said he was disappointed to see that no funding is provided for the maintenance of the Greenway project.

“It’s disheartening to see what’s left behind when they’re finished,” Cllr Devine said.

Cllr McBride had previously brought forward a similar motion during the September Letterkenny-Milford MD meeting, where he said some Greenways in the county are already falling into a state of disrepair, with pebbles, stones, and overgrown shrubbery making them unusable, calling for assurance that the council can afford their upkeep.