Councillors to hear of potential solution to junction impasse

Potential solutions to the vexed saga of the missing McDonald’s roundabout and the removal of the Castle Street filter lane were due to be set out for councillors yesterday, Monday, at a special in-committee meeting held to discuss the new Local Area Plan for Mullingar.

Controversially, both features were removed as part of the upgrade of Mullingar town centre some years ago, and councillors have lobbied to have the removal reversed, contending that the changes are largely responsible for the congestion that has slowed the progress of traffic through the town centre.

Last week, at the monthly meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad, the mayor of Mullingar, Cllr Ken Glynn, had a motion on the agenda calling on the executive to consider the reinstallation of the filter lane at McDonald’s on the basis that it would help resolve traffic build-up at that location.

The written response from the executive stated that the district is continuing to work on improvements to that junction and has engaged Systra, a specialist engineering firm, to review possible sustainable solutions.

“It is our intention to work with the elected members and local businesses to find the optimum solution,” the response continued, stating that the next step was to set a date for an in-committee meeting if the members were in agreement. Cllr Glynn remarked that he hoped this would be the last time that he had to raise this particular issue, as the response made reference to “possible sustainable solutions”.

He accepted the professional opinion of the district staff who had ruled that reinstatement of the roundabout was not a runner: “I will never question our executive here in relation to their professional opinion. So if they don’t feel it’s a good idea, you go back to the drawing board and try to come up with another solution.”

However, he also didn’t want anything blocking the entry to Mullingar of shoppers coming in from locations such as Castlepollard, Kinnegad, Kilbeggan and Tyrrellspass.

“We’re into, I think, our seventh year of trying to get this issue resolved. And, you know, if the filter lane is not something that the executive think helps, I look forward to hearing what the solutions are.”

Cllr Aoife Davitt said she was in full support and keen to hear of any potential solution.