There are calls for elected representatives in Mayo to ensure that rural villages and towns in the county are included the Active Travel and related programmes spend and application process, and that any attempt to exclude villages and towns at National level be resisted.

 

With  a figure being quoted of €1 million per day being spent on active travel and related programmes, it is only proper that rural towns and villages be included in these programmes, and additionally, when works are being carried out that ducting for services such as fibre, esb, and all necessary services be installed.

 

That’s the view of Mary Niland who is the secretary of Kiltimagh Knock United Soccer Club.

 

She says there is a number of areas around East Mayo where relatively small investments would make a huge difference to the lives of people living in these areas, prevent fatal accidents and also make a significant contribution to the Governments Climate Action Targets.

 

One such example is the R323 between the village of Knock (with hundreds of thousands of visitors) and the Knock Kiltimagh Soccer Club located less than a mile from the village - where well over 1500 people a week frequent for 8-9 months of the year.

 

Western Care have now also located a HUB on the site and it would be a huge advantage to service users to have connectivity to the village, likewise for the local national school students.

 

Another example would be to connect with a safe travel corridor the town of Ballyhaunis out to Western Brand Chickens on the Knock Road where many hundreds of workers are employed.

 

There are many other examples around the county Mrs. Niland is asking that councillers, at their Municipal meeting today ensure that rural villages and towns are not excluded from Active Travel.

 

She has been giving more details to Midwest Radio’s Michael D. McAndrew.