Quay Hill Path is "street of shame"

Cllr Keith Martin says the Quay Hill pavement from McCarthy's Bar to the top of the hill is a "street of shame" for Mayo County Council. Cllr Martin has sent County Council officials 18 photographs of 18 separate potholes on the pavement, none of which, he says, are less than a foot wide and many of which stretch the entire breath of the pavement.

Cllr Martin says "the issue of the Quay Hill pavement has been rumbling on for some time now. Cllr Brendan Mulroy and I have independently raised this issue at council meetings on numerous occasions yet there has still been no action. The problem is that the pavement is the responsibility of the County Council not the Town Council. Last month we had a presentation on the half a million euros we pay the County Council as part of the "County Demand" for services we receive from the council. Well, I just hope that the Quay Hill pavement is not indicative of the level of service we can expect from Mayo County Council.

"Whole sections of the concrete pavement have sunk down up to three inches and elsewhere along the path the curbing has crumbled away. The tarmacadam covered section of the path has actually been worn away down to the stone chips underneath. I have received numerous complaints and representation from residents of the Quay and from walkers who find this path treacherous particularly for the elderly and those with pushchairs.

"I am giving the County Council an ultimatum for action as I want a schedule for repairs and a date for the full replacement of the path. If the council don't deliver I will be seeking alternative routes of action. Indeed if push comes to shove I will mix the cement myself and fill in the holes. Don't think that I am joking or that I will be short of volunteers. In fact if anyone wants to sponsor the cement or lend a hand they should get in touch with me immediately. I intend to shame the council into action or to carry out the works myself."

Welcome for relocation of bins at Quay

I have welcomed the relocation of the recycling bins at Westport Quay. Until last week the bins were located in the car park at the Pond but have since been moved to a new location nearby.

I have led the campaign to have the bins removed from the scenic Pond area to a more suitable location and I am delighted to see that the council has eventually removed the bins as requested. The council and the residents of the Quay have spent a lot of time, money and effort into making the Pond a showpiece park for the people of the town and it was shameful to have all that work marred by the useful but unsightly bins. While their new location behind the Quay wall on the reclaimed land is far from ideal it is a great improvement on their previous location.

Two years ago I called for the Pond’s paths and car park to be resurfaced and this work received the support of all the councillors and is now complete. We have also restored the benches, complete with dedications to the Pond area. Now the re-location of the recycling bins means that the Pond is restored to its full potential and is an asset to the area we can all enjoy.

I will be insuring that all major supermarket developments in future will be required under the Town Development Plan to provide an area for recycling bins. The current Town Development Plan expires in 2008 and I will be insisting that the next plan will ensure that such relocation of bins does not happen in future.

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Bins at the Pond

I have made repeated calls for the recycling bins at the Pond at Westport Quay to be relocated to a more appropriate location.

I even went so far as to provide the council officials with alternative locations.

That was two months ago and to date I have not received a reply. This is simply not good enough.

Today I contacted the Town Engineer and requested a timetable for their removal. I pointed out that as Westport was taking part in the pride of place competition that this was even more of an incentive to remove the bins.

I have warned the council that if they fail to remove these bins I will introduce a Section 140 notice which if passed will force the manager to remove the bins. In this I trust I will have the support of my fellow councillors.

Watch this space.

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