Leitrim councillor says road is costing 'thousands in replacement wingmirrors'

Leitrim councillor Cormac Flynn described a section of the R209 as "dangerous" and said that "there is no way passing any vehicle on this road as their well out on the middle of the road and when you meet a vehicle you have to close your eyes; I'm sure it's costing some companies hundreds if not thousands in replacement wing mirrors on that road."

Cllr Flynn had asked the council to conduct a risk assessment of the R209 from Fawn to Kilcare saying that there were numerous parts of the road that are impacted by "vigorous vegetation growth, Ash dieback and obtrusive signage which are causing HGVs and other large vehicles to maintain a driving line which forces them to cross the road markings in place."

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The official response stated that this section of the road will be carried out "with a view to identifying any obstructive signage adjacent to the road edge and arrange to have them relocated if deemed necessary. In relation to overhanging branches and Ash dieback, this is the landowners responsibility and landowners will be notified of these hazards."

Cllr Flynn said this went back to a response from Minister Michael Healy-Rae earlier in the meeting who had stated that maintenance of roadside trees, hedges and other vegetation is the responsibility of the landowners/occupiers on whose land they are growing and that they "are not and do not become a danger to the public road or interfere with the safe use of the maintenance of a public road."

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The Minister continued that the implementation of the legislation of the management of removal of dangerous roadside trees is the responsibility of the local authority and that "should a potential hazard or risk be identified, remedial action will be required."

Cllr Flynn was asking the council to do "a risk assessment on this in the hope that a risk or hazard will be identified. We need to test Minister Healy-Rae on this. If the council comes back and says 'Yes, there is a problem with this road', let's go back to the minister and force his hand on this because part of this road is a walking trail; it would be terrible to see someone getting hit by these HGV."

Cllr Paddy Farrell supported the motion as did Cllr Enda Stenson who said the trees must be removed. 

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He said: "Local authorities have got to take responsibility for our roads - and they do - but they have to have those trees removed."

Cllr Sean McGowan said that many people walk along the road and "God forbid anything happens - one of those vehicles hitting someone - who'd be responsible then? Someone has to take responsibility."

Cllr Flynn said that it would "require road closures" and "would be dangerous for the landowners to go tackling those trees without support from the local authority or TII. I think it's unfair to ask the landowners in this case because it's dangerous."