Report on Mayo dual carriageway freeze-over rejected

A REPORT on why the N5 dual carriageway was like glass when temperatures dropped one night last month has not been accepted by councillors.

The route meets all standards in relation to its finish, they were told.

Issues arose when gritters faced challenging conditions on a night where it was very cold and still raining, just above zero, followed by a further drop in temperatures.

Six of the 21 gritting routes in the county were abandoned, with the scale of freezing and precipitation after and before gritting 'unusual' and happening only once or twice a year.

But Councillor Michael Kilcoyne was unhappy with the report, saying the road needs further examination.

A bird couldn't land on the road on the morning in question, but yet he was told it complies with all the regulations for safety, he told a meeting of Mayo County Council.

It reminded him of the Titanic, he commented. That met all the standards but ended up at the bottom of the ocean.

The road was lethal on the morning in question and it was by the grace of God that no one was seriously injured, and it really needs to be examined, Councillor Kilcoyne urged.

The report, said Councillor Ger Deere, doesn't solve the issue. There is a problem with the dual carriageway and also the slip road to the old Islandeady road, he reiterated.

Director of services Tom Gilligan said the report states that the condition of the road meets the standards in relation to its finish.

However, Councillor Kilcoyne retorted: “The report says it's fine. The users say it's not.

“I'm not happy. I want the road made safe.”

And there's also a problem with the road in wet weather, he told management.

Councillor Richard Finn said he didn't understand what the commotion is about. Most counties would be delighted to have a road like it.

Go out the local roads, and look into the potholes and the danger there, he said.

No matter what road you drive, there is danger involved, he pointed out, and we have to accept that.

* Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme