Funding must be found for our roads

A VERY dangerous stretch of road in West Cork is still waiting on government funding, which would undoubtedly improve driving conditions along it.

The notorious stretch of road – between Newmills and Owenahincha – has been the scene of many traffic accidents, on this particularly lethal stretch of our only national route traversing West Cork – the N71.

One of those who died was an eight-year-old child who had been enjoying her summer holidays before the accident happened, in 2014.

Ten years later, plans to improve that section of road are being stalled, due to inadequate funding.

In a lengthy statement to this newspaper, the Department of Transport blamed ‘an increased pace of delivery and land acquisition costs, as well as inflation and increased cost of materials which are higher than when the original estimates were calculated’ for the shortfall in its roads allocations to local authorities.

It is difficult to see how, in this day and age, inflation and rising costs are not adequately built into roads budgets.

It is not as if the financing of roadworks in this country is a new science.

We have been hearing, over and over again, all year, that we need to tackle the deaths on our roads.

Local authorities have been asked to review all speed limits, with a view to reducing them on dangerous roads.

All options are being examined, we have been told.

And yet we know that one of the primary causes of road collisions in this country, apart from speed, is the varying conditions of our regional roads.

Motorways have been shown to be five times safer than other roads.

Just last month it was reported that seven in every 10 fatal traffic collisions happen on rural roads with a speed limit of 80kmh or higher.

This year is on course to be the deadliest year on Irish roads for over a decade.

And yet we cannot appear to treat the condition of our roads with the urgency it deserves, given the rising death tolls.

Drivers with experience of other counties across the country will anecdotally admit that West Cork has some of the worst roads in the country, when it comes to carriage width, camber, and road surfaces.

The predictions for warmer and wetter weather will not help the situation.

All the bodies tasked with the upkeep of our roads need to start to take the repairs and maintenance of the networks far more seriously.

While large infrastructure projects may easily secure funding to polish some political egos, it’s surely more important to find funding for projects that could actually save lives.

Plough on, regardless!

YET another world title has come home to West Cork – with the win last weekend for Clonakilty man Jer Coakley in the World Ploughing Championships in Estonia.

Jer now holds current All Ireland, European and World titles for senior reversible ploughing.

It was a double delight for Ireland at the meet, as Carlow’s Eamonn Tracey retained his world title in the Conventional class, marking his third successive win in the category since the event was held in Laois in 2022. Another great achievement for the Irish competing abroad.