Good work praised but more needs to be done 

IT WAS a case of a lot done more to do at a recent meeting of Carlow Municipal District as a busy programme of works for the town was outlined.

Carlow County Council's town engineer Cian Madden stated that in recent weeks resurfacing works had been done on Browneshill Road, Bennekerry, Palatine village and Milford Cross, along with footpath works at Braganza, Kilkenny Road, The Elms, St Fiacc’s Terrace and Dublin Road. He added that the softening/greening works were continuing at locations around the town.

Mr Madden stated that upcoming works included the resurfacing of roads at Castlewood Gardens, the deep cleaning of pathways and street furniture throughout the town and the cleaning-up of the Linear Walk, Burrin Road.

Footpath enhancement at Sandhills would also take place, Mr Madden stated, adding the council was in talks with a landowner there regarding increasing the footpath width alongside the Hacketstown Road, which he hoped would be underway in the next few weeks.

Cllr Fintan Phelan complimented all the work done, adding there is “a marked improvement on our town, which is continuing apace”.

He welcomed the resurfacing work and the installation of ramps at Browneshill Road, adding his hope that the remainder of the road would be completed next year.

Cllr Paul Doogue called for a greater number of dog fouling bins in the town, while cllr Andrea Dalton remarked that the playground at Oak Park Forest Park was “looking a little sad” and needed an upgrade along with a deep clean of the picnic benches.

Cllr Phelan agreed that the playground at Oak Park Forest Park did need a little “TLC”.

Cllr John Cassin raised the issue of the road surface from Closh to the Fairgreen roundabout. “It’s in a bad way and needs work done,” he added.

Cllr Adrienne Wallace asked for an update on plans to make Graiguecullen bridge accessible. “Even if you extended the handrail to help people over the steep part of the bridge," she suggested.

Cllr Doogue called for a disabled parking bay to be installed at Upper Tullow Street, adding that it was an area with a number of pharmacies and doctors’ surgeries and a disabled parking bay would be welcomed.

Cllr Fergal Browne described as “disappointing” that only half of Browneshill Road was done. “The road is in a very poor condition from The Paddocks to Browneshill. My idea would have been to do the entire road and then the road markings could be done,” he stated. Cllr Browne also asked about the installation of security barriers at Woodies car park, adding that anti-social behaviour is an issues at this location.

“It’s very slow happening and I would ask the council to make contact with the owners,” he said.

Mr Madden said the council did not have the budget to complete the entire Browneshill Road, so it had been divided in two, with plans to complete the works next year.

He also said that the barrier at Woodies car park would be going in immediately and agreed that he would look at cleaning up the playground area in Oak Park Forest Park.