Ó Cuív calls for funding for strategic road upgrades in South Mayo

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív has contacted Mayo County Council to highlight the need for funding for strategic county road developments.

According to the Galway West Deputy, the R300 Cong to Clonbur Road, the R346 Cong to Cross Road and the R334 between The Neale and Cross are three strategic county roads in the South Mayo area that carry a very large amount of traffic and are of vital importance to local tourism and to domestic and commercial life.

Deputy Ó Cuív explained, “I have been working closely with my colleague on Mayo County Council, Damien Ryan, to emphasise the importance of upgrading these roads and to help the Council secure national funding to carry out the necessary road works.

“It’s very important that Mayo County Council draws up a strategic plan for the upgrade of these roads and that all the necessary preparation is carried out in advance, so that when the money becomes available the work on the roads can start immediately.

“In reply to my representations, Mayo County Council has agreed that the roads are of strategic importance for local industry and local tourism.  The Council has informed me that its officials will examine the options available and the potential funding sources to improve these routes.

“This is an important step on the long road to getting these roads upgraded. The road between The Neale and Cross is a vital artery linking Galway City and Headford to Ballinrobe and Castlebar.  A large volume of traffic uses this road on a daily basis and the road becomes very poor at The Neale to Cross section.

“Both the Cong to Cross Road and the Cong to Clonbur Road are extremely busy. The Cong to Cross Road is mainly used by people accessing Ashford Castle and Cong Village coming from Galway. Ashford Castle is an iconic tourist attraction and is being developed by its new owners to attract even more visitors. Cong Village is unique in the West of Ireland and also attracts a large number of tourists in its own right.
“There is also a very high volume of heavy goods vehicles using both of these routes because of the exceptionally large timber mill, ECC Teoranta, located in Cornamona, and the large quarry owned by McGraths in Cong. These two important industries employ many hundreds of people in the area and it is vital that good roads are available to them to enable their businesses to thrive and flourish.”