Westmeath and Cavan to consult over Finea Bridge

Published: Wed 29 Jul 2020, 10:54 AM

Last updated: Wed 29 Jul 2020, 10:55 AM

Westmeath County Council is to consult with neighbouring Cavan in a bid to determine whether safety measures are necessary around the bridge at Finea.

At the most recent meeting of the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District (MKMD) on Monday of last week in Mullingar, Cllr Frank McDermott asked that an assessment be carried ou at the bridge.

He said that particularly since the pandemic, there seems to have been a lot of traffic from the north travelling through and the drivers were unfamiliar with the bridge.

The response from the MKMD stated that the bridge will be examined for a Low Cost Safety Scheme by the Transportation Section, in consultation with Cavan County Council, a response that was welcomed by Cllr McDermott.

Collinstown

Cllr McDermott asked that the MKMD prepare a plan and costing to build a footpath from Collinstown to The Cut at Lough Lene.

The response from the MKMD was that it is the policy to use scarce footpath funding to repair existing footpaths and to invest in locations only where there are existing high volumes of pedestrian movement.

“It would cost approximately €150,000 to provide a footpath at this location,” the response concluded.

Cllr McDermott was delighted to note that the cost of providing a footpath appeared to have fallen, he said, explaining that ten years ago he had been told it would cost €320,000.

Clonmellon

Concerns over safety levels at the school in Clonmellon were also raised at the meeting by Cllr McDermott, as he lodged a plea that the MKMD re-examine the possibility of having safety improvements carried out there.

The official written response to his request was that electronic warning signs have been erected at this location and that all statutory signs were in place.

“Additional traffic calming measures will be installed in Clonmellon under the Town and Village funding scheme,” the response concluded.