Treanor expresses anger over Clones Roads Allocation

Sinn Féin Clones area Councillor, Pat Treanor, has expressed anger and disappointment over the fact that improvement works to a number of accident black-spots in the Clones and Aghabog areas have not been included in this years Regional and Local Roads Grant Allocation. Dangerous corners at Cladowen/Glear and a road junction at Cornasoo on the Threemilehouse/Newbliss road were left off the list, although Monaghan County Council Road Engineers had prioritised these two locations for immediate safety works.

Cllr. Treanor said, after receiving the allocations on Monday:

“It is scandalous that the Department should ignore the advice and recommendations of our professional Road Engineers. Years of lobbying by myself and other local people brought a focus on the dangers to drivers and pedestrians of the corners on the Clones to Newbliss road and the junction ant Cornasoo. I have spoken to the Engineers, who are adamant that these two project were applied for under the ‘Specific Improvement Grants’ heading and were high up on the priority list. Out of €900,000 allocated to County Monaghan, which in itself is miserly, under this heading, not one cent comes to the Clones area. I will be asking Monaghan County Council to ensure a more equal distribution of road funds and to make an exception this year in favour of the Clones area.”

Scotshouse

Meanwhile Cllr Pat Treanor welcomed the allocation of €20,000 under the heading of ‘Low Cost Safety Improvement Grant’ to Analore Bridge, and €10,000 to improvement works at Victory’s Corner on the Scotshouse to Treehoo road.

He said: “I want to welcome the grant of €30,000 for these two projects. Residents in these areas will be glad to see, that at long last, these very dangerous junctions will be made safer.”

Carthy says that Aghavilla Road Closure is ‘a non-runner’

South Monaghan Sinn Féin Councillor, Matt Carthy, has said that he believes that the council will have to find an alternative way to improve road safety on the N2 at Aghavilla, north of Carrickmacross, other than the proposed Creevy Road Closure.

Cllr. Carthy said that if public consultation was to mean anything then the large amount of submissions against the proposed road closure must be taken into account.

He said: “Monaghan County Council received 67 submissions in response to the proposal to close the Creevy Road off the N2 almost all of which were opposed to the suggestion. It is my view that the road closure is therefore now a non-runner. Any other outcome would simply undermine the public consultation exercise.

“I, and other councillors, had expressed some concerns about the proposal to close this road when it was first mooted but we agreed to allow the public to have their say. Those people who live in the area and who use the road on a daily basis have spoken and they should be listened to.

“Obviously there is a road safety issue at Aghavilla that must be addressed. But, Monaghan County Council and the NRA will need to find an alternative way to address it. I have no doubt that a way to improve the safety for motorists without closing the road can be found if the will is there.”