Feasibility studies on Mullingar to Lough Ennell walk and cycle way

Feasibility studies are well under way for the Mullingar to Lough Ennell and Finea to Abbeylara walk and cycle ways and final reports are expected this month.

The Royal Canal cycleway, Killucan, is now complete and getting a lot of use. Ladestown, Lough Ennell, and Tullaghan, Lough Owel, outdoor recreation schemes are completed and a scheme at Lough Lene is ongoing and should be surfaced in next four to five weeks. Improvement works at Mullingar Town Park have been completed.

These were some of the updates announced at the October meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad, and welcomed by the members, who applauded the council staff on the quality of their work. Several councillors, however, had a list of other works they wanted progressed.

Cllr Ken Glynn congratulated the council and their staff on the enhanced crossing at Clonmore, which “will make things a lot safer”.

He complained thought that it was “nigh impossible” to get out of Clonmore Heights, Newbrook Grove and Newbrook Drive and he called for the upgrading of the traffic calming measures on Newbrook Road.

The meeting was told that a list of potential low cost safety schemes is being compiled and the Clonmore, Newbrook link will be considered along with the area at Mullingar hospital on the Castlepollard Road.

Cllr Glynn was also told that the whole C Link road will also be considered for such a scheme. He had urged that additional safety measures at the entrance to the two Ardilaun Estates be provided this year. He said that, with 250 to 300 households using that junction, it was a miracle there had not been a serious accident.

The entrance to those estates will be examined, but that is a project for next year, he was advised.

Cllr Hazel Smyth asked that information signs be put up when roadworks are being done and roads are closed, referring in particular to recent road works at The Downs. It was revealed that VMS signs were erected at The Downs weeks ahead of and during works there. However, one of them, worth €18,000, was stolen. It was subsequently recovered it, but €7,000 worth of damage had been done to it and gardaí are investigating.

Cllr Aoife Davitt complained that small dogs are escaping under the fence at the dog park in Mullingar because it does not go down to the ground and she offered to provide photographic evidence, if necessary.

She asked that tarmac works be carried out at Auburn Terrace and that the grass be cut at Lakepoint. She also asked that sub plots for parking be provided at Ginnell Terrace and Dalton Park as people are being forced to park on the footpaths.

Cllr Davitt was told that a contractor should be on site at Auburn Terrace soon. Works in general were stalled for three to four weeks for the fleadh and the council are catching up now, she was advised.

Grass cutting at Lakepoint was delayed because of the wet weather, but will be done now and a fencing contractor will be appointed to put in another strand of wire at the dog park.

The need for additional parking at Ginnell Terrace and Dalton Park has been an issue for years and is being examined. These older estates were designed for people who had no cars and now some households have two or three cars, it was pointed out.

Cllr Davitt was also told that a faulty traffic light unit at Ballinea will be replaced.

Cllr Mick Dollard called for the reinstatement of ramp in Beechgrove, opposite number 2, and that footpaths be refurbished at Bellview Heights. He was assured that those issues would be examined.

Cllr Denis Leonard asked that lights be provided on the walkways in Killucan and Kinnegad in the interest of safety. He was told that the ducting and pods are in, all that is needed is funding. He was also informed that Kinnegad town park should be completed by the end of this year or early next year.