Leitrim road in ‘very rough’ condition needs to be ‘patched immediately’

Heavy goods vehicles and delays in the time it takes to get road patching done is leaving a local road in Drumshanbo in a “rough” condition, a recent local authority meeting heard. 

The need to resurface the road in Drumshanbo was highlighted at the recent meeting of Ballinamore Municipal District.

Cllr Brendan Barry (SF) submitted a motion in which he called for “the R208 between The Mayflower roundabout and Galley Bridge to be resurfaced as soon as possible or patched immediately if resurfacing can't commence very soon. It has become very rough in recent months.”

Speaking on his motion, Cllr Barry told the meeting that the disrepair of this road illustrated the need for a patching unit in Drumshanbo.

“The amount of time it takes to get a machine to do the patching is an issue,” he stated.

READ MORE: 'It's the end of Leitrim' - Councillor warns that 'government is doing enormous damage'

“We would hope to a get a patching unit in Drumshanbo,” he added.

Cllr Barry's fellow Drumshanbo representative, Cllr Enda McGloin (FG) supported the motion.

“A large volume of heavy vehicles are having an impact on this road,” he commented.

The motion was also supported by Cllr Gary Prior (FF), who highlighted that there is only “one lorry for the whole county to do this work.”

Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn (FG) also supported the motion, stating that a “patching unit was needed.”

The written response from the council said that a velocity patcher would be sent out to the area.

“A section of the R208 between the Mayflower roundabout and the Galley Bridge is on the 2026 RIG programme, subject to funding.

“We have not received our 2026 allocation from the Department of Transport to date. In the interim, we will send the velocity patcher to carry out repairs to the road when it is in the area,” the reply stated.

“The R280/R208 Galley Bridge/Drumshanbo junction is also on the R2026 Roads Work Programme,” the council response concluded.