Carlow councillors to decide on controversial Church Street cycle scheme

A SUBSTANTIAL number of submissions have been received by the council about the proposed Church Street Pedestrian and Cycle Scheme, which has faced significant local opposition since it was first suggested.

At September’s meeting of Carlow Town Municipal District, director of services Pádraig O’Gorman told the meeting that council officials were working through a substantial number of public submissions. A preliminary report had already been circulated and a final report from the active travel team is expected within the next couple of weeks.

Mr O’Gorman told the councillors that they will soon have to make a decision about the annual allocation of the active travel budget, which is about €3m, and whether they will allocate funds from it towards the project. He stressed that the council does not want allocated funds going unspent while other areas who need investment miss out.

There was then some disagreement between cllr John Cassin and the rest of the municipal council over if the council should see the final report first at a closed in-committee meeting before holding a public meeting to discuss the findings of the report.

Mr O’Gorman suggested that members will be able to get answers to their questions about the scheme if they are able to see the report first.

It was decided that the councillors would see the report first in committee before the public meeting.