Questions raised following Westside accident

An independent study carried out on the Seamus Quirke Road last November highlighted 18 concerns about the safety of the route, it has been claimed.

Following the tragic death of 19-year-old Mary Davey in a single car collision on the busy road, speculation has mounted that the ongoing improvement works in the west of the city may have contributed to the horrific accident.

The Craughwell native died instantly when the car she was driving was involved in a single-car collision near the Westside Shopping Centre shortly after 3.30am on Saturday night. Two other occupants of the car were taken to University Hospital Galway for treatment, but their injuries are not understood to be life-threatening.

Galway City Councillor Padraig Conneely this week demanded that Galway City Council publish the report carried out by Dublin firm Barry and Partners Engineering Contractors  “in the interest of public safety on the road”.

“I have been highlighting serious concerns for motorists and pedestrians during the construction period on the Seamus Quirke Road. I am not satisfied that proper road management issues were being addressed by the promoters of the road project, which is Galway City Council,” said the Fine Gael Councillor.

“Serious concerns have also been raised by businesses and residents in the area since work commenced and, in my opinion, they are not being addressed by city management. I am calling for a total review of safety issues on the Seamus Quirke Road, so that any further tragic accidents can be avoided.”

The ongoing saga of road improvements at Seamus Quirke Road has been subject to a barrage of criticism in recent months, as the project ran into serious delays and overran its budget by almost €5 million.

Construction began on the Bishop O’Donnell Road/Seamus Quirke Road Improvement Scheme on September 2010, with a view to the creation of a four-lane dual carriageway encompassing two new bus lanes in the west of Galway City.

It had been envisaged that the project would be completed by October 2011 but subsequent issues with additional works and “unforeseen underground utilities and unforeseen ground conditions” have seen the completion date pushed out to at least March 2012.

Prior to the weekend’s accident, many motorists had expressed concern over the safety of the junction at Seamus Quirke Road, particularly for those unfamiliar with the area.

Responding to queries from the Galway Independent yesterday, Director of Transportation and Infrastructure Ciaran Hayes categorically denied that the extended duration of the road works could have compromised safety on the Seamus Quirke Road.

“The road accident is purely a matter for the Gardaí and we will await the outcome of that investigation in relation to the accident.

“The situation with all roadworks, anywhere in the country or indeed anywhere else, is that roadworks change the nature of the driving surface and the nature of the road. The situation with regard to the Seamus Quirke Road is no different to any other road and we’ve been in constant negotiation with the contractor to ensure that all safety aspects are adhered to.”

Mr Hayes resisted calls for the publication of the report, saying that it was simply a contractual issue.

“The situation with the audit is a matter between the city council and the contractor. They are contractual issues and we do audits for all of the road scheme, so there is nothing peculiar about this particular one. They are not a matter for publication. All road safety audits highlight issues that need to be addressed, that’s the purpose of them.”

The funeral of Mary Davey took place at the Church of the Assumption in Athenry yesterday, before she was laid to rest at New Cemetery, Athenry. Gardaí are currently appealing for witnesses to the collision to contact them at Mill Street Garda Station on 091-538000.