Gort could be isolated without second entrance say locals

A SECOND entrance from the bypass to Gort must be provided in order to safeguard business in the town, it was claimed this week.
While the campaign to have a second entrance began some years ago, a number of local people including public and business representatives this week urged for the construction of a second entrance now while work is still being carried out on the upgrade of the N18 from Crusheen to Gort.
An entrance to the bypass is planned for the Galway side of the town but local businesses claim this will not be enough to maintain businesses in the town.
As far back as 2007, local campaigners claim they were assured that there would be a second route linking the new road to Gort, however, this is not now being planned.
“The second entrance is vital,” said local Fianna Fáil councillor Gerry Finnerty.
“After the flooding of large sections of the N18 last November at Crowe Street and further North at Kiltartan, there is a serious worry that Gort could effectively be isolated if this happened again bearing in mind the entrance to the bypass would be north of Crowe Street.
“When the roads were closed, some businesses in the town reported being down between 70% and 80%. No-one wants to see that happen again and there is also a worry that with just one entrance, which is located past the town centre when traffic is coming from the south, cars simply won’t stop,” he explained.
According to Councillor Finnerty, the vast majority of passing trade in Gort comes from the south, something that he feels illustrates the need to have an entrance before Ballinger’s Corner.
“A lot of the cars coming from Cork, Limerick and Clare stop in Gort. I think that might be because a lot of events tend to happen north of the town. One major attraction for people coming up is Knock Shrine. In the summer, we might have 30 buses stopping here on a Sunday. The other major event is the Galway Races and Gort is the main stop before Ballybrit. It was the same for the Ocean Race. Gort got a great boost from people coming from the south,” he recalls.
Less vehicles coming from the north stop in the town, Councillor Finnerty claims.
“Traffic coming from the north doesn’t stop at the same rate because there are less events taking place in the south. The problem is that the planned entrance is at the northern side of the town not the southern side of the town. People would have to return on the same route as they come in. People like to make progress on a journey and by coming in at one side of the town and going out the other, you are making progress. If you come in one way and have to go out the same way, your journey hasn’t got any shorter,” he points out.
According to the Fianna Fáil councillor, people in Gort “are not looking for a major junction, just a second entrance”.
While the National Roads Authority originally agreed that such an entrance could be provided, according to Councillor Finnerty and other campaigners, this is not now being built. This, Councillor Finnerty believes, is a missed opportunity.
“We are being told that the money isn’t there and that the population of Gort doesn’t warrant it. What you will have is a great stretch of road from the tunnel in Limerick and then the Ennis bypass and no services along the route and Gort could become a service town. We have 15 food outlets here making us well positioned to become a service town,” he concluded.
Gort Chamber of Commerce is also appealing for a second entrance from the bypass to be built, saying it will be vital for businesses in the town. “Gort is open for business,” said chamber PRO Regina Monaghan. “Obviously, we want to see a second entrance because people are worried that passers-by won’t make the effort to come into the town to do business,” she added.
Hughie O’Donnell owns a butcher shop in The Square in Gort, while his son runs a pub close by.
“Gort is pulling out of a hard winter and is getting on fairly well. The main concern is that there is only going to be one entrance from the bypass and that will cripple Gort,” Hughie told The Clare Champion.
“We depend a lot on southern business, people coming from Ennis and further south. They stop on the way to and from Knock and eat in the local hotels and a lot of people stay overnight as well. If there is only one entrance, it will be a disaster,” he claimed.
However, according to Hughie, this is not simply an argument for local business but also one for people’s welfare.
“During the floods, Crowe Street and the road at Kiltartan flooded and if that happened again without a second entrance, Gort would be totally isolated. From a health and safety point of view, I think that should be looked at,” he stated.
“The businesses around the town are pushing hard for the second entrance. The next few weeks are vital. The town will grow eventually and this work will have to be done but why not put the infrastructure in now and save money and rescue the town as well. It is common sense,” Hughie concluded.