Query re Moore St Loughrea one-way conversion

galwaycyclist

Hi

I recently came accross this and was a bit shocked. Does anyone here know when this was put in. And was there any local controversy?

The County Council got state funds two years ago to employ consultants to put together a Walking and Cycling strategy for Loughrea. This strategy specified that Moore St, as a key school route, was to stay two-way for cyclists.

Now it seems.that the county council have come along and made it effectively illegal for children from the Hill/East of the town to cycle to school by the most direct roads. They have also cut off the most obvious route from Cosmona I.e. via either the walks or the Mart and up Moore St.

hoody

It was put in before Christmas, the only controversy around it that I've heard is that because of the one way, it is now illegal to follow the traditional funeral route from the Cathedral to Mountpleasant cemetery (turning left when leaving Cathedral, down by Beattys, right onto Main Street and right onto Moore St, to avoid the bridge on Barrack St, which it was/is seen as unlucky to cross over).

In their defence, not many of the roads in Loughrea and particularly the side roads were ever designed for traffic. I would have thought that the next road up would also be made one way, in the opposite direction, but maybe in time. The junction at Raphael's/Fitzy's Corner is far safer than it was, and much more user-friendly for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, so I commend them for that.

I doubt there would be much uproar over kids cycling to school from that direction having to take the next side street, the extra couple of hundred yards they have to travel is hardly cause for uproar and protest?

galwaycyclist

hoody wrote: »

In their defence, not many of the roads in Loughrea and particularly the side roads were ever designed for traffic. I would have thought that the next road up would also be made one way, in the opposite direction, but maybe in time. The junction at Raphael's/Fitzy's Corner is far safer than it was, and much more user-friendly for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, so I commend them for that.

I agree - the zebra crossings are extemely welcome and should be used elsewhere in the town, particularly main street. A few Saturdays ago I watched while families with small children were made to wait a good three minutes or more for the "green man" outside AIB. It was embarrassing to watch.

hoody wrote: »

I doubt there would be much uproar over kids cycling to school from that direction having to take the next side street, the extra couple of hundred yards they have to travel is hardly cause for uproar and protest?

I suspect that school age children in Loughrea are not particularly politicised. As for the extra couple of hundred yards - this may be "dismissable" by local authority officials. I suspect that any self respecting Loughrea teenager who decides to cycle from that direction will still shoot up Botharcom and up Moore St the wrong way. This would not be an indication of teenage "lawlessness" but a demonstration of a local authority neglecting to carry out their functions in accordance with the empowering acts.