THE anomaly that the largest county in Ireland does not own its own road lining machines needs to be rectified, councillors told a meeting of the local authority recently.
Several councillors spoke about ‘fading lines’ or even a lack of lines or road markings at various junctions throughout West Cork and the county, pointing out that it is also a serious health and safety issue for all road users, which needs to be urgently addressed.
Cork County Council currently employs a contractor from Tipperary to line mark roads and junctions throughout the county, after they previously deemed having their own machines was not viable.
Cllr Audrey Buckley (FF) said that she is at the stage now that if she sees the road lining truck in her own area she runs out the door after it to get them to mark roads and junctions or even double yellow lines. ‘It actually baffled me that Cork County Council doesn’t own its own truck when I heard that four years ago. It’s very frustrating that we have to wait for these contractors to come from Tipperary to get anything done,’ she said.
Cllr Seamus McGrath (FF) said it makes no sense that a county the size of Cork doesn’t own its own machines, especially with the huge amount of work that has to be done. He asked for that previous decision to be reversed by Council bosses.
Cllr Danny Collins (Ind) requested the same and pointed out that the line marking contractors are only around for a day and then leave again. He pointed out a line at a junction near him is not there as the road surface is so bad.
County mayor Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) said it’s sometimes ‘a joke’ and claimed that the contractors came down to Rosscarbery during an August bank holiday weekend a few years ago and began line marking outside the Celtic Ross Hotel while a wedding was taking place. ‘They turned up on the August bank holiday weekend,’ he said.
He suggested that Cork County Council team up with their neighbours in Kerry to purchase a machine which they could then share.
It’s very frustrating that we have to wait for these contractors to come from Tipperary to get anything done.
- Cllr Audrey Buckley
‘There are so many junctions around West Cork where the lines have faded, or are non-existent.
‘I have had driving instructors on to me numerous times about the fact that there are no lines or stop markings on some roads and junctions.
‘This has to stop and I’m asking the chief executive to sit down and look at it. That equipment could pay for itself and it could be used to line car parks in hotels, when not needed on the roads.’
Council chief executive Moira Murrell said a value for money study had been carried out a few years ago on owning such trucks. She said that they will revisit the issue to see if they can justify purchasing a machine again.
