A number of residents impacted by the closure of a stretch of road close to Grange in County Sligo have expressed their displeasure and dissatisfaction with Sligo County Council after the road has been reduced to pedestrian access only by the local authority.
Up to 38 residents in the Grange area have been impacted by this decision to close a stretch of a link road at Aughagad which is situated on the Grange to Castlegarn road.
The road in question, the L7216 west covers a distance of approximately of 1.3 kilometres.
Local residents claim that Sligo County council have now restricted a middle access route to pedestrian only only by dumping gravel on the road while they are redesigning the end junctions on the lay-by.
Sligo Drumcliff Councillor Donal Gilroy says the action will add unnecessary travel times for those using the road as well as forcing some onto roads that have a greater volume of traffic.
Cllr Gilroy called an outdoor meeting with local residents yesterday evening and within 30 minutes of calling the meeting 18 people had gathered to express their concerns with the action of the Council who had conducted a traffic survey on the road in question.
Cllr Gilroy admits that the Council are not in violation of the 1993 roads act by carrying out this action he still claims that they should have held a proper public consultation with the local residents
Emer Concannon is the Director of Infrastructure, Environment & Fire Services with Sligo County Council
She says the area which was was closed was due to it’s close proximity to another similar junction that is situated beside it.
The Council official says there are alternative exits 600 and 700 metres north or south of the section of road that is closed
