by Chris Ashmore

DRIVING instructors are coming across cases where their clients are failing their driving tests because of poor road markings, it was claimed at the July meeting of Donegal County Council.

And there are now also growing concerns that the lack of proper road lining and road markings is now a safety issue that should be looked at.

The matter was raised at this week’s Donegal County Council meeting by Councillor Noel Jordan who said that the learner drivers were encountering poor lining at junctions and on some roads there has been no proper road markings for a number of years.

Tabling a motion calling on the Council’s Roads Directorate to prepare a report on how the cost of purchasing a road lining machine would compare with the current situation of hiring in the service, he said that the issue has been raised at the Roads Special Policy Committee meetings and Machine Yard Working Group as well as at Municipal District Council meetings.

While conscious of the need to get value for money and the fact that you need specialist teams to carry out the road-lining works, he said that it was his understanding that there are just two contractors doing these works for the whole of the north-west.

He expressed concern about the length of time that it is taking to get road lining jobs done and pointed out that this is now a road
safety issue.

“We have to serve the public that is driving on the roads,” he said, adding: “I think we should look at the prospect of purchasing and training our own team to carry out these works.”

Noting that staff could be trained up for the job, he continued: “I do not see any reason why we can’t have our own team to do our own road lining. I know the Council needs to get value for money and it is a specialised job, and you need need to have road management, but I would ask the Roads Directorate to look at it and come up with a report and see if we are getting value for money at the moment or can we do this job ourselves?”

Cllr. Albert Doherty seconding the motion.