Footpath in Laois village is 'atrocious'
The footpath along the Clogh Road was slammed as 'atrocious' at a council meeting. Image: Google Maps
A VILLAGE footpath that suffers regular flooding was described as “atrocious” at a council meeting.
Cllr Ollie Clooney said pedestrians in Ballacolla are forced to walk out onto a busy and dangerous road during wet weather, as the footpath along the Clogh Road becomes completely flooded.
“It’s vitally important that footpaths are safe to walk on. What’s the price of a life?” he asked, at the latest meeting of Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick Municipal District.
The Independent councillor called for an urgent footpath upgrade, as he said: “The footpath there is atrocious and it’s been like that for years. When the weather is wet, it gets flooded and you can’t walk on it. In however many years nothing has been done, not a thing.” ,
He added: “We are all for road safety here and footpaths are vitally important. You can’t walk the roads anymore because of the speed of the traffic. We have to find money somewhere if footpaths are not safe.”
Senior engineer Rory O’Callagan confirmed that the council area office would arrange a meeting on site ‘to assess and agree the required footpath upgrade works’.
Cllr Clooney replied: “I look forward to meeting you there and hopefully you will have money in the bag for this.”
He was supported by Cllr John King, who said the Ballacolla project should be carried out over the summer months. He said: “When work is done in good weather, it takes half the time.”
