By Dionne Meehan
TWO controversial Active Travel projects in Letterkenny got the green light at Monday’s plenary meeting of Donegal County Council.
The issue sparked a lively debate, resulting in 20 councillors voting in favour of the projects and 13 opposing them.
The major works primarily see the installation of dedicated cycle lanes and new footpaths along Circular Road and the Ballyraine Road in the town.
On the run up to Monday’s meeting, Cllr Ciaran Brogan said he would be opposing the plans.
In his eyes, the single biggest problem Letterkenny is facing at the minute is the amount of traffic congestion and the need for proper traffic management.
“Going ahead with these projects is premature,” Cllr Brogan said.
“It is going to cause huge traffic disruption in many areas of the town.”
Echoing Cllr Brogan’s concerns at Monday’s meeting, Cllr Paul Canning stated that the current traffic congestion, prior to the works being carried out, is causing many to avoid the town.
“In my neck of the woods they are going to Derry,” the Newtowncunningham man said.
“You can get through Derry quicker than you can get through Letterkenny.”
Hitting back, Cllr Gerry McMonagle said the aim of the Active Travel project is to encourage those who live in the town to leave their cars at home.
“Traffic congestion in Letterkenny is not a new thing unfortunately,” he said.
“We have the same roads that were in Letterkenny when it was a town of 5,500 people as what it is now with 20,000 plus.
“There are two cars at every house in Letterkenny and there are 35,000 cars that come into it a day.
“An Active Travel programme is going to encourage people who live in the town to leave their cars and for them to be able to walk safely or cycle to their work or their children’s place of school.
“We need to be encouraging the non-use of cars within the town.”
Cllr McMonagle went on to discuss the increasing presence of e-scooters in the town.
“We are a university town and e-scooters are multiplying on a weekly basis,” he said.
“Where do they go?
“They are not allowed on the footpaths and the roads are far too busy and dangerous for them.
“We have to put in place infrastructure that is going to allow people to use other modes of transport and to get about safely.
“There will be some delays temporarily in relation to the building and the developing of these cycle ways, there always are with roadworks, but at least we see a finished product, one that is worthwhile doing and it is beneficial to the community.”
Seconding Cllr McMonagle’s remarks, Cllr Declan Meehan described the lack of infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians in Letterkenny as “embarrassing”.
“One of the end goals here is a public e-bike scheme for Letterkenny,” he said.
“We cannot have that unless we have the necessary infrastructure in place to allow for safe passage of people on e-bikes.
“There are a high number of students living in the town as well and they can’t get around from A to B safely as it stands.
“This provides a huge opportunity for Letterkenny.”
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