N26's Kiss of Death by FG

finisklin

Looks like FG has bitten the bullet on this one and accepted that this road was never going to be built.......

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-politics/item/4070-minister-asked-to-intervene-after-nra-gives-kiss-of-death-to-n26.html

All the good work done by DC is now undone.......:rolleyes:

neiphin

10 yrs he keep it on the agenda
if only he had another 6 months

nuac

It will be a great pity if Ballina and district does not get a proper road. The present N26 at Ballyvary end has some dangerous corners.

I recall one of the reasons ABP refused to grant permission was because of the alleged interference with the habitats of whooper swans.

While we have to look after all fauna and flora, I wonder about the priorities - how many people will be killed or injured on the present substandard road.?

The was a similar evironmental problem re the Claregalway bypass - shot down in the Supreme Court because it would interfere with the integrity of the limestone landscape in building pylons to support a bridge over the Corrib. It is true that pylons would have to some extent damaged the integrity of the limestone. However practically all the ares from Galway Bay up to about Ballinrobe is limestone - a few pylons could have been accepted. Meanwhile the traffic blocks continue at Claregalway.


Some years ago Dúchas stopped work on extending a pier at Roohagh for about ten days in the middle of summer because it was alleged the work was affecting seals breeding. Many locals, including Clare Islanders, were amazed at this ukase because

1. Local people knew that seals did not breed in that area since motors became common in boats there, but breed in quieter parts of the coast

2. local fisherman regard seals as predators as they eat fish in their nets.

They would have preferred to have seen work on this pier proceed to provide more shelter in bad weather.

I think there needs to be a more realistic evaluation of these projects, giving priority to human life and needs

oscarBravo

nuac wrote: »

It will be a great pity if Ballina and district does not get a proper road. The present N26 at Ballyvary end has some dangerous corners.

That's the N58 (Foxford - Ballyvary). The N26 goes from Ballina to Swinford.

neiphin

nuac wrote: »

While we have to look after all fauna and flora, I wonder about the priorities - how many people will be killed or injured on the present substandard road.?

what is the death toll from straide to ballyvary in say the last 10 yrs ?

excluding frost, snow and falling trees

nuac

oscarBravo wrote: »

That's the N58 (Foxford - Ballyvary). The N26 goes from Ballina to Swinford.

Sorry - I stand corrected

nuac

neiphin wrote: »

what is the death toll from straide to ballyvary in say the last 10 yrs ?

excluding frost, snow and falling trees

I don't know, but I have been driving around Mayo for more than fifty years, including numerous journies to Ballina. I consider Ballyvarfy to Straide to be substandard with dangerous corners. There are of course worse roads in the county, but those do not connect such important centres or carry so much traffic

lotusm

its a disgrace ... How can a town like Ballina get a head without a decent road into it ...its seem the NRA have no interest in developing the North Mayo Region.. I wonder has Enda any influence at all ... He must of had a say in getting the Ballyandreen bypass through to open access to Mayo ...Over €6 million has been spent in planning this route already so it makes no sence that some kind of high grade single grade carriageway can not be done at some time ...:)

mayotom

finisklin wrote: »

All the good work done by DC is now undone.......:rolleyes:

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.... that's the best I have heard in a while.

he never did any good work, just claimed credit for other peoples work. Typical politician

neiphin

lotusm wrote: »

its a disgrace ... How can a town like Ballina get a head without a decent road into it ...its seem the NRA have no interest in developing the North Mayo Region.. I wonder has Enda any influence at all ... He must of had a say in getting the Ballyandreen bypass through to open access to Mayo ...Over €6 million has been spent in planning this route already so it makes no sence that some kind of high grade single grade carriageway can not be done at some time ...:)

what was it spent on ?
who benifited from this expenditure ?

finisklin

mayotom wrote: »

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.... that's the best I have heard in a while.

he never did any good work, just claimed credit for other peoples work. Typical politician

Well he doesn't sell himself short.......mmmhhhh for that matter none of them do! :eek:

finisklin

Looks like Michelle has pulled a rabbit out of the hat and left DC for dust. Though how long it actually takes for work to begin is anyone's guess.

Anyway, more here for the N26 as it is back on track.

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-politics/item/4155-plans-for-new-n26-road-on-track-as-nra-to-seek-alternative-route.html

lotusm

Thanks for the update finisklin... It is a positive announcement but only time will tell .... I say DC will have a few comments to say. Say it be more or less the same route but single carriage way at the very least... years away though

Cosmo Kramer

finisklin wrote: »

Looks like Michelle has pulled a rabbit out of the hat and left DC for dust. Though how long it actually takes for work to begin is anyone's guess.

Anyway, more here for the N26 as it is back on track.

http://www.mayotoday.ie/index.php/browse-mayo-news-by-category/mayo-politics/item/4155-plans-for-new-n26-road-on-track-as-nra-to-seek-alternative-route.html

This looks to have made it to the bottom of the pile from a position of not being in the pile at all which I suppose, in a sense, amounts to progress. I cannot see this happening in the next ten years to be honest - there are far more important road schemes both nationally and regionally that would need to be sorted before this one and there is next to no money likely to be available any time soon. It was an obvious decision to spend any available money on the Ballaghaderreen bypass rather than on this.

Until such time as the diggers move in it is hard to give MM any credit on this subject over DC. Another 0-0 draw I would say.

nuac

Rather than blaming politicians of any side we should review the factors which operate to stall or stop these projects on environmental grounds.

In this case it was whooper swans. In other cases breeding seals, or the integrity of a limestone landscape ( Claregalway by-pass ).. Humans using the roads are entitled to consideration too.

finisklin

The whooper swans appearance conveniently appeared at a time when there was little cash around and instead of crying poor mouth with SFA in the roads budget the Whooper swans spoiled the N26 party. The issue with this is that any investment in roads in north mayo is abysmal versus the traditional TD heavy part of South Mayo a la Flynn & now Kenny/Ring.

Fair play to MM & DC for battling on this....unfortunately it's way outside of their sphere's of influence despite all the optics and posturing.

Though it does make politics look comical as they take swipes at each other.

finisklin

This just might tie up a PR loose end on this thread.......

From Mayo Today

The proposed new N26 road that would link Ballina and all of North Mayo to the N5 is back on track, Mayo Fine Gael. TD Michelle Mulherin has revealed following a series of meetings involving Deputy Mulherin, the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar TD. A Strategic Transport Study for the N26 Phase II will now be conducted to identify an alternative national road connection to Ballina.
In early 2010, An Bord Pleanala turned down Mayo County Council's plan for a dual carriagewway linking Ballina to the N5 at Bohola - and bypassing Foxford because the road would intrude on the River Moy designated habitats.

Said Deputy Mulherin: "I am absolutely delighted to be informed today by Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport that a Strategic Transport Study for the N26 Phase II will now be conducted to identify an alternative national road connection to Ballina.

"I am relieved and very pleased that the N26 is back on track again after the many meetings I have had with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Transport to progress the project. I have left no stone unturned in that regard.

"After the shocking news late last year that the NRA’s view was that they no longer considered the N26 Phase II upgrade a potential project I am delighted that I have now succeeded in getting the NRA to conduct this study which will be carried out in conjunction with Mayo County Council and commence this year.

Positive step
"This is a major achievement considering that An Bord Pleanála’s decision to refuse the N26 Phase II in February 2010 created a doomsday scenario for the N.26 and this is the first positive step since the Bord’s decision in turning around the fortunes of this project which had been consigned to the scrapheap by the previous government who could offer nothing more than cheap talk and posturing.

"The N26 is the major road artery into Ballina and provides an access gateway to the whole of Erris. Future economic and social development for the area requires it to be upgraded from its current condition. The upgrade isn’t just about improving access to the East, but also to the N17 to Galway (the Atlantic Corridor) and to connect with Knock Airport," Deputy Mulherin added.

Cosmo Kramer

finisklin wrote: »

This just might tie up a PR loose end on this thread.......

From Mayo Today

The proposed new N26 road that would link Ballina and all of North Mayo to the N5 is back on track, Mayo Fine Gael. TD Michelle Mulherin has revealed following a series of meetings involving Deputy Mulherin, the Taoiseach and Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar TD. A Strategic Transport Study for the N26 Phase II will now be conducted to identify an alternative national road connection to Ballina.
In early 2010, An Bord Pleanala turned down Mayo County Council's plan for a dual carriagewway linking Ballina to the N5 at Bohola - and bypassing Foxford because the road would intrude on the River Moy designated habitats.

Said Deputy Mulherin: "I am absolutely delighted to be informed today by Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport that a Strategic Transport Study for the N26 Phase II will now be conducted to identify an alternative national road connection to Ballina.

"I am relieved and very pleased that the N26 is back on track again after the many meetings I have had with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Transport to progress the project. I have left no stone unturned in that regard.

"After the shocking news late last year that the NRA’s view was that they no longer considered the N26 Phase II upgrade a potential project I am delighted that I have now succeeded in getting the NRA to conduct this study which will be carried out in conjunction with Mayo County Council and commence this year.

Positive step
"This is a major achievement considering that An Bord Pleanála’s decision to refuse the N26 Phase II in February 2010 created a doomsday scenario for the N.26 and this is the first positive step since the Bord’s decision in turning around the fortunes of this project which had been consigned to the scrapheap by the previous government who could offer nothing more than cheap talk and posturing.

"The N26 is the major road artery into Ballina and provides an access gateway to the whole of Erris. Future economic and social development for the area requires it to be upgraded from its current condition. The upgrade isn’t just about improving access to the East, but also to the N17 to Galway (the Atlantic Corridor) and to connect with Knock Airport," Deputy Mulherin added.

Is that not the exact same article that you quoted two weeks ago - I do not see any new information there?

finisklin

Yes you are right Cosmos.....I meant to put the link to the Mayo Advertiser article which had a piece on the councillors meeting with the NRA, however it is not accessible on the website.

Well spotted and I am on my n26 toes from here on in!