21/10/2026
On Monday 12th October last, Valerie Reilly and Bernie Rushe of the Loughrea – Gort Road R380 Safety Campaign, presented to Galway County Council. Present were the Chairperson, Council engineers, Council staff and County Councillors from municipal districts Loughrea, Portumna and Kinvara. The team also handed over a bundle of 1,238 petition signatures supporting our road safety demands. Some of the Councillors responded briefly after the presentation, and most were favourably disposed towards our demands.
The Council formally responded last week by email.
Win 1. Traffic calming measures in the form of raised crossings will be implemented at the pedestrian crossings on the Gort Road.
The problem: the Gort Road is ranked 10th of 13 schemes, and construction would be 2028 at the earliest.
Why: funding follows official collision data, and many Gort Road incidents were never recorded. Valerie's collision, after which she has suffered permanent brain damage, is one example.
What people can do: report all collisions and traffic light violations to the Gardaí so they're recorded.
Next step. We are now liaising with the council and Councillors to seek alternative sources of funding so the implementation of raised crossing can be brought forward.
Win 2: The 50kmh signs at the entrance to the town will be upgraded, and hedges trimmed to ensure they are not obscured. This is a small win as experience has shown us that many drivers fail to pay attention to speed limit signs.
What people can do: the online petition is still active. If you haven’t already signed the paper petition, now is the time to make your voice heard. Please sign the online petition. https://www.openpetition.eu/ie/petition/online/gort-road-r380-loughrea-safety-campaign
We are very grateful to the Council and Councillors to have given us this opportunity to present the voice of the people using the Gort Road and its amenities, and will continue the active campaign with even more enthusiasm. If you would like to help please contact [email protected] or ‘phone Bernie on 087-2837810 evenings.
