No Disclosures

·         Minutes of Budget Meeting held on 16th October, 2024

·         Minutes of MD Meeting held on 16^th October, 2024.

The Cathaoirleach Cllr. J Keogh welcomed everyone  to the meeting.

On the Proposal of:   Cllr. L Fallon

         Seconded by:   Cllr. E Kelly

It was AGREED to adopt the minutes of the Athlone Municipal District Budget meeting held on 16^th October, 2024.

On the Proposal of:   Cllr E Kelly

         Seconded by:   Cllr T Ward

It was AGREED to adopt the minutes of the Athlone Municipal District meeting held on 16^th October, 2024.

No matters arising

No Votes of Congratulations/Sympathy,

Seamus Lough, Executive Engineer in Active Travel Department gave an overview of Active Travel activities in the Athlone Municipal District.

Six Schemes have been completed to date across the Athlone Municipal District with a total spend of €1.32 million. These included:

·         Creggs Rd, Athleague Share pavement

·         Beagh to Ard Carn, Creagh, Footpaths

·         Dysart Village Junction Safety Measures

·         Lecarrow Village, Footpath

·         St. Josephs NS Summerhill, Safe Route to Schools R1

·         ColáisteChiarán Summerhill, Safe Routes to School R1.

Active Travel intend to apply for funding to the NTA to progress the following projects through the NTA Project Stages across the Athlone Municipal District in 2025.

·         Bealnamulla, Athlone Active Travel Scheme

·         R363 Claremont (Ballyforan) Safety Measures

·         2018 Curraghboy Junction tightening

·         Camcloon NS, Ballydangan, Safet Route to Schools R3

·         Cornafulla NS, Cornafulla, Safe Routes to School R3

·         St. Ciaran’s NS, Oldtown, Safe Routes to Schools R3

·         Bus Stop Enhancement Programme.

Seamus Lough informed Members that funding has been announced for the three Safe Route to School Projects outlined above.  The Round 3 Safe Routes to School Projects are on higher speed rural roads and the focus will be on alerting motorists to the presence of schools, encourgaging lower speeds and more attentive driving.  This will be achieved through signage and road markings at the front of the school.

Members thanked Seamus Lough for a very informative presentation on Active Travel in the Athlone Municipal District to date and welcomed the proposed projects for 2025.

Members welcomed the application for funding for works in Ballyforan in 2025.  Members requested that the area from the carpark in Ballyforan village up to the GAA pitch be considered for footpaths and pedestrian crossing as part of the proposed project.

The Members expressed their concerns in relation to Cornafulla NS that Road Markings and Signage would not be enough to slow traffic on the R446. They requested that infrastructure including footpaths and a pedestrian crossing be considered.

Members discussed issues around speed limits at community facilities such as community centres and schools that are outside the current lower speed limit zones.  Susan Loughnane informed the Members that she would bring a report to the next meeting in relation to the feasibility of introducing bye laws to reduce speed limits on Regional roads at specific locations.

On the Proposal of:   Cllr J Keogh

         Seconded by:   Cllr T Ward

Members AGREED to put a formal proposal to the Chief Executive Shane Tiernan to introduce speed limit Bye laws in order to extend out the 60km/hr speed limit zone in Bealnamulla to include the soccer pitch and also at Brideswell village to extend the speed limit zone out to include the Community Centre Cam.

On the Proposal of:   Cllr L Fallon

         Seconded by:   Cllr T Ward

Members AGREED that an invite be sent to the Local Area Representative of NTA to come to the next Athlone Municipal District meeting to discuss the possibility of providing bus services from Athlone to Ballinasloe and also the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.24