Pothole pain for residents of Dunsany lane
A RURAL laneway in Dunsany is so bad with potholes that people are parking their cars at the top of it while taxis and bin lorries are refusing to go down it, according to Cllr Fionnan Blake.
Cllr Blake highlighted the poor state of the lane, which is waiting to be resurfaced as part of the Community Involvement Scheme (CIS), during a discussion on the scheme at the March meeting of Meath County Council. Under the scheme, residents contribute 10 per cent to the cost of the works.
He brought forward a motion calling on Meath County Council to clarify timescales for commencements of roads waiting to be resurfaced as part of the scheme, which was agreed by fellow councillors.
Cllr Blake said councillors need clarity so they can go back to constituents and said he wanted to see a review of the scheme which he said was not fit for purpose and that more funding also needs to be put in place.
He highlighted the case of Clowanstown Lane near Dunsany. “There are eight houses on this lane with planning applications in for three more. The road is so bad with potholes residents have started to park their cars at the top of the lane and walk to their homes. Taxis won’t drive down the lane and recently the bin lorries are saying it’s gone too bad to drive on. I feel this is totally unacceptable. These people have paid their contributions, paid for planning, construction, and connections, and are now willing to put their hands in their pockets, again, to pay to be able to drive their cars to their homes. There are young couples with small children unable to push buggies up this lane.”
He said residents are waiting months and in some cases years for the scheme to start and as well as a review of the scheme, he said he would like to see the council patching up the roads while people wait for the scheme to start.
A response from Meath County Council outlined that the council is currently assessing the applications for the scheme to develop the 2025 list for the Department of Transport funding.
“Once tenders are returned there will be greater clarity on how many cul de sacs works can be completed. Upon the tender evaluation and assessment the number of CIS and cul de sacs to be delivered this year will be communicated to members as well as proposed estimation for future years.”