Naas protest today on Coughlanstown Road repairs delay
The protest is targeted at the councillors of the Naas Municipal District, which will be meeting in the Town Hall at 3pm.
The road, which collapsed almost 11 months ago due to subsidence which some blame on the installation of gas, water and sewerage infrastructure, has cut off many residents who live just a kilometre from the centre of the village, but have to take a 15km detour to get there.
The residents are criticising 'officialdom' for not dealing with the repairs in an urgent manner.
The matter was recently highlighted in the Dail by Deputy Fiona O'Loughlan FF, and Deputy Martin Heydon has reported three options for Kildare County Council, including an estimated €3m cost of constructing a full protection wall and rebuilding the road.
TD appeals to Taoiseach on Coughlanstown Road
Kildare County Council's road department can't afford that level of expenditure, and Deputy O'Loughlin has appealed to An Taoiseach to support her request to the Minister for Transport to provide NTA money for the repairs.
Local businesses say that residents on the Coughlanstown side are now shopping in Naas and Kilcullen rather than Ballymore, and there are also fears that Ballymore's Scoil Mhuire NS will lose pupils to other towns because of the detour issue.
Coughlanstown Road Meeting in Ballymore
There is also criticism of the current detours, via Carnalway and Naas, on roads not designed to carry the increased levels of traffic.
Reopening of Coughlanstown Road 'will take months'
Cllr Carmel Kelly (FF) intends to submit a motion at today's Naas MD meeting, asking that the Council provide an update on the progress to get funding to re-open the Coughlanstown Road.
Route to Ballymore closed by Road subsidence
