This article is from page 19 of the 2012-10-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 19 JPG
THE National Roads Agency (NRA) have been accused of incompetence, in their approach to signage of the M18, by councillors at yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council.
In a joint motion put forward by Cllrs Michael Kelly (FF), Bill Slattery (FG) and Joe Arkins (FG), a call was made for Clare County Council to begin to interact vigorously with the roads agency in an attempt to improve mistakes and omission in signage.
A call was made for the review of all signs on the M18, with all areas which were signed on the old N18 to also be included on the motorway. A number of popular tourist attractions are currently not included on the motorway – with Cllr James Breen (Ind), offering to sing Spancil Hill, if it would help the NRA to recognise the famous townland.
“I’m not happy at all with this reply at all. This is typical NRA speak. It is them saying that we don’t have a say down here; they know what is best for us. At the present time, there are areas of high tourism that attract a lot of people to the county, but yet when they come here they can’t find the place because there are no signs,” said Cllr Michael Kelly.
“The NRA has decided that businesses in places like Ruan, Tubber and Kinvara don’t deserve a sign anymore. We need to write back to the NRA and tell then that these places didn’t become obsolete with the creation of the M18.
“You have a body like the NRA come in here and changing the spelling of places like Ballyvaughan, Lahinch and Corofin. They think that they know better. I think they need to come down here and engage with us.”
During the debate, Cllr PJ Kelly accused the NRA of making serious mistaken on the signage on the M18, including signs which indicate that drivers are getting further away from Galway, even as they are driving towards Galway on the M18.
Responding to comments from the councillors, Director of Services Ann Haugh, said she would interact with the NRA more in the future.
“This is a matter for the NRA. There are prescribed rules for signage from the NRA which dictates where tourism signage is placed,” she said.
“I haven’t engaged with the NRA before this motion came forward today, but I will be engaging with them in the future.”