MEMBERS of Letterkennny Town Council are to meet with forward planners and officials from the roads department to discuss the long-term infrastructual needs of the town for the next twenty years.
Calling for the meeting in an effort to ascertain what planners had in mind for Letterkenny, Councillor Gerry McMonagle said Letterkenny was choked with traffic.
"There aren't enough taxi ranks," Cllr McMonagle added and he wondered where the necessary roads were going to come from for Letterkenny to achieve city status.
"I'd like to hear what plans they have put forward. We are pushing hard for a motorway to come to the North West. We need to get real," he said.
Suggesting that ring-roads be developed, Cllr McMonagle called for the meeting as a matter of urgency.
"We need to meet the forward planners and road engineers and put all into the melting pot and have time for their delivery - that is the thinking behind the motion," he said.
According to Cllr Victor Fisher "something needs to be done" and proposed that the traffic wardens and Gardai be consulted.
"They know what's happening on the Main Street every day," he added.
Cllr Jim Lynch said this was one item he had raised quite often since he was elected in 1985 and claimed the County Councillors were much better informed than the Town Councillors.
"We were better informed in the past - there's very little consultation going on. The County Development Plan is ongoing at the moment and how many of us know what's in it apart from the councillors. There is a need to keep people informed. I'm not happy at the way we are being consulted or informed. We all should have an input. Some serious questions are facing us all. I feel we don't know where we are going," Cllr Lynch added.
Cllr Dessie Larkin said he supported the motion and understood the frustration of his council colleagues.
"This is our number one priority at area meetings," he said, adding that the one thing they were fighting for most was the provision of a road from the Dry Arch through to Tommy Keys's and up Unifi and linking up with the Business Park Road.
Pointing out that the Town Mayor, Cllr Ciaran Brogan was very vocal on the N56 project, Cllr Larkin said that a lot of political debate and influence was needed to achieve that.
Cllr Larkin opined that two or three crossings over the River Swilly would be most important for future development. Giving his backing to the motion, Cllr Damien Blake said it was important that members were kept up to date, while Cllr Jean Crossan said she would be delighted to hear a presentation from planners.
TIMELY
Describing the motion as both very good and very timely, Cllr Ciaran Brogan said there was money available for a transport study to be carried out in the town. Cllr Brogan added that the volume of traffic coming into the town daily was "unreal"
Concluding the debate, Cllr McMonagle said it was necessary for the forward planners to be in the council chamber.
"It's not going to take one meeting, but a series of meetings," he said. Cllr McMonagle added that despite the increase in the volume of traffic, very few new roads had been established.
"Where will Letterkenny be in 20 years? We are working towards making it a city," he said.
