Newport enhanced by street -Paving
The € 100.000 spent on the street paving of Main Street Newport, has enhanced the street scape and the environs of the town, Councillor Frank chambers told a meeting of Newport tidy Towns Committee.
Cllr Chambers also complimented the contractor and Mayo co council on the work undertaken as well as the F A S team at the youth Centre, Castlebar Street Newport, who carried out the work.
It was agreed at the meeting to set up a programme of work to be undertaken with the rural social Scheme, South West Mayo Leader, Mayo County Council and the community for 2005.
Cllr Chambers complimented the outdoor staff of Mayo Co. Co. for their co-operation.
Newport has a unique environment which is attracting many new families to settle in the area and it is important that we encourage our people to keep Newport Tidy .By working together we can increase our points in 2005’s tidy towns Competition added Cllr Chambers.
€ 100,000 Refurbishment for Newport’s main street pavements
The pavements of main street, Newport, are to get a € 100.000 refurbishment as part of a mayo County Council overall plan for the town. The project, which includes a number of new ramps to accommodate the disabled, will be welcomed by wheelchair users.
The existing limestone kerb on the west side is to be retained on the edge of the street, and on the east side the existing limestone kerb and the steps up to the street will be retained .
The ramp outside Keane’s Meats will be retained and a new one will be erected at the Chemist shop and at the centre end of the Bridge Inn pavement, there will be a dished Ramp Access.
On the east side, there will be a ramp at the corner of the first house, formerly known as Padden’s, and the existing kerb and steps between the gift Shop and Frank Chambers premises will be maintained.
A major change will be the erection of a wheelchair Access near the Phone Kiosk. At the centre of the pavement at the end of the corner house, there will be a dished Ramp Access.
As for main street principally caters for the through heavy articulated trucks, buses, delivery vans and private cars, it often poses a problem for pedestrians trying to cross the road. perhaps, while work is underway at least one pedestrian crossing could be erected near the centre of the streets.
Dangerous Street
Following the € 100.000 spent on the new street, paving on main Street Newport, which is regarded as having enhanced the town, there were many complaints that a section of the west side of the street was dangerous, as a result of many people being injured on it.
In an effort to rectify the problem members of Mayo Co Co outdoor staff dug up the section in question last week and reset the paving.
Cllr. Johnny O’Malley
The Demense
Westport
Co. Mayo
10th September 2007
Dear Johnny,
I am writing to you because I wish to highlight several issues around Newport in relation to access issues. As you might be aware I have been involved in highlighting and campaigning for improved access for all in Mayo.
I am very concerned about several issues here in my home town in Newport and I wish to raise them with you to request your help in correcting them.
The following issues are outstanding in Newport
The parking outside the post office for those that are wheelchair bound should have the yellow box on the right-hand side.
The signage that has been erected is not the correct signage. The sign itself should be blue with white logo however the sign that has been erected has a black logo with a white background.
The surface around the new bus terminal is uneven and a new surfaced should be completed as soon as possible.
Access is required from the park to the Health Centre as there is no roadway access. Clear and well marked tactile warnings should be installed.
A rail that surrounds the entrance to the viaduct in Newport does not turn down as suggested in the handbook and by regulations. Also there is no ramp access for people who are wheelchair-bound to the viaduct. This takes from the town’s accessibility for wheelchair users and mother with buggies.
The new Newport office entrance ramp is far too steep and should be lowered so that access is easier. Also the rim around the base of the door is not flush with the ground and could pose a problem for people with wheelchairs.
There is no disabled parking marked out in the area.
A disabled parking space should be installed at the Local Hall as there are frequent events held at the hall and this would be an ideal place for a disabled parking space.
Parking is also a problem in this area as many people park in front of the access places for buggies and wheelchairs and people have to move around them often for some distance to give access to the footpath and shops.
Gullies are also a common problem in the town. When the roads are resurfaced the gullies are not moved up to the level of the new road and become the lower than the road.
The ramp on Main Street does not seem to fit the area as there is a loading bay at one end and people have found it difficult to gain access to the ramp because of the loading bay. Also the yellow box has been placed at the rear of the space. The railing also needs to recheck as the railing would not prevent any person from falling off the footpath and injuring themselves.
Sections of the footpath are missing and have been replaced by a sheet of wood. This should be taken into consideration when the path is being patched up.
A parking bay should be installed at Chambers shop. This is to facilitate people in wheelchairs as there is no real access in the area as the gullies are still posing a problem for wheelchair users.
Seaview has ramps that are made from cobbles and are proving to be a great problem. Access is virtually impossible as the cobbles are rough and not smooth. These should be removed straight away as we have been informed that a number of residents use some form of mobile transport for the elderly or disabled people.
The speed ramps on the quay road are too close to the footpath and people have to travel on the main road as the footpath is too rough to travel on in a wheelchair or otherwise.
A crossing should be installed at the hotel corner so that people can access from the opposite side of the street.
Tactile warnings should be installed from the edge of wall to the edge of the footpath for those that are visually impaired or otherwise.
The ramp at Chamber’s on George’s Street has been removed and the residence would like to see it replaced.
A footpath from town should be continued to the football pitch as the footpath that is currently in place only goes as far as the school.
Foliage on the Quay Road also poses a problem as people have to move free from the foliage to gain access to the rest of the footpath.
The work fails to comply with building regulations.
Yours sincerely
_______________
Thomas Chambers
Disability Campaigner
“The Billy Ranch”
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co. Mayo
Wheelchair access campaigner raises concerns over new disabled parking spaces.
Article in Connaught Telegraph 26th October 2005
Concerns have been raised over the layout, position, surface condition, access and signage in relation to several of the new disabled car parking spaces in Castlebar. Mr Tom Chambers, an access campaigner for people with disabilities, outlined his reservations in a letter to elected members of the local Town Council.
He said “parking bays should be firm, level and even”. An uneven surface or an inclined bay makes transfer from vehicle to wheelchair difficult. Parking bays designed for people with disabilities should be clearly marked on the roadway surface and be accompanied by the appropriate sign standing in front of the bay. Spaces arranged parallel to the kerb need to take account of the transfer side. A disabled driver or passenger getting out on the kerb side may transfer directly onto the wheelchair located on the footpath.
‘This can be very difficult if the kerb is not flush with the footpath as it necessitates lifting the wheelchair out of the car up onto the pavement and then lifting oneself onto the chair from the car seat. This problem does not present itself if parking perpendicular to the kerb as transfer will always be onto road level which may be more convenient.
‘Where parallel parking is the only option, some people prefer to transfer on the road side to avoid the kerb, despite the obvious hazards. A clear space must be available at the ends of the car to allow the disabled person to use their boot and gain access to the footpath. In some situations where pavement width is restricted, it may be appropriate tramp the pavement down to road level for the full length of the parking spaces in question.
Mr. Chambers said the disabled space at Linenhall Street was positioned in front of an access to private property. There is one on Main Street beside the Bungalow Bar. It is blocking access to private property. There is no provision allowed to use the boot of ones car. Alighting from a vehicle can be via side door or an end door. This generally involves using a portable ramp extending a maximum of 2,000mm from the vehicle. There are two bays in the middle of Main Street. The one located on the right hand side is located on a water valve with no room to gain access to the boot of ones car. The surface is extremely rough and a wheelchair user would have to gain access onto the footpath at the top of the street. A car parked there would also be blocking emergency access to Castle Street car park
‘I have pictures of the bay being used by taxis to park their cars. The disabled parking space on the other side of Main Street is of no use to a person transferring from the driver’s side as they will not be able to gain access to the footpath. It would be obstructing access to a laneway beside Elverys Sports Shop. Mr. Chambers said if the Town Council was serious about implementing the Barcelona Agreement , the first the members should look as is the building in which their meetings are held. ‘The chamber is not wheelchair accessible’ he explained. Mr. Chamber’s letter was raised at the October meeting of the council by Councillor Michael Kilcoyne.
He said the council had signed up to the Barcelona Agreement and should be serious about it. He accepted some work had been done, but a lot more remained to be done. Mr. Ray Norton, town manager, said it was the council’s intention to lower the kerbing at disabled parking spaces. The Mayor, Councillor Blackie Gavin, stated a lot of work had been done throughout the town to lower kerbing to facilitate the disabled and he hoped work of this nature would continue.
