Teething problems with Donegal Town One Way system roadworks being addressed 

Chair of the Donegal Municipal District, Cllr Tom Conaghan (Ind.) said he hoped that some “teething issues” regarding the new one way system in Donegal Town could be alleviated very soon.

He made the comments after it had been suggested that the opening up of parking at the St John Bosco Centre could help alleviate the pressure of roadworks taking place in town, to facilitate the implementation of a new one way traffic system. 

The matter had been raised by Cllr Michael Naughton (FF) who said that lack of parking had been causing “a bit of concern” with the public and some businesses, since the new system came into being.

He asked whether the ‘Bosco Centre’ could be utilised as a car park while road works were taking place around the town, as part of the implementation of the new one way system.  

“It could help to give it to people for parking for the months work is taking place and alleviate some of the problems. I appreciate there might be issues there but let us try and work together certainly up to Christmas. 

“In the short term it would be a huge help,” he suggested. 

Cllr Conaghan said that as a trustee of the St John Bosco Centre, he wanted to make it clear that the committee who run the Centre totally support its use in the interim to facilitate parking congestion in the town as works continued to implement the new one way system.

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The matter had already been discussed and active engagement had taken place with Donegal County Council.

However, a number of important issues needed to be addressed and assurances received, in advance of such a decision, which included insurance and the prioritisation of the car park for patrons, parking there, when events were being hosted at the ‘John Bosco’. 

Cllr Conaghan expressed his optimism that the situation could be sorted.  

He said that the situation where cars were being parked along the side of the road in its vicinity also needed to be addressed. 

Acting Area Manager for Roads and Transportation Mark Sweeney said that the project was constantly being monitored to see where exactly they are on it. 

There was a lot of work to do, including crossing points and they were waiting on the schedule of work from the contractors.

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Initially coned areas had been introduced to get a feel for the totality of the works that were being undertaken, but some of the cones had now being pulled back and there would be a strategic engagement with the contractors, in terms of where the schedule of works was taking them, at a particular time, rather than simply putting them up everywhere works were going to take place. 

He said that the council, the contractors and all involved were trying to get a solution that would minimise the effect on drivers, while the road works continued.  

He also spoke on the ongoing discussions with the John Bosco Centre in relation to its potential availability for parking, but again, a number of important issues and concerns needed to be addressed if this was to happen.