By Claire Corrigan
The Mullingar Street Enhancement project has been causing major disruption for motorists and business people alike with one businesswoman in Dominick Street stating that it has ‘destroyed her business” and others claiming that the current set-up will cause an accident.
With the introduction of a one-way system and traffic lights on Dominick Street last week, traffic has been almost brought to a standstill during the school rush with many traders saying their businesses have been adversely affected.
Elaine McCormack from Gemini Beauty Parlour on Dominick Street said the works have impacted seriously on her business. “One day I opened to have two clients in. I’ve had more cancellations from parents that can’t get down to the school in time and are afraid they will be late for pick-ups. It’s just awful, I don’t know how we are all going to survive if something is not done shortly,” she warned.
She continued that the ongoing works had meant that footfall at the shop has been well down on previous years. “Christmas is always busy because you would have pre-bookings and January is a quiet month but this year January was a non-existent month. In February it usually starts to pick up but it’s not picking up.”
Located right at the busiest section of Dominick Street, Elaine has seen firsthand the effect that the slow-moving traffic system is having on already frayed tempers. “At school times, traffic doesn’t move at all and people are just sitting there. There have been more near misses and near accidents outside. There was an argument the other day where a person didn’t even see the lights and got out of the car. It’s ridiculous.”
She warned that businesses on the surrounding streets were bound to suffer as a consequence of the long delays. “Business people are going to be closing down unless something is done. We’ve had absolutely no compensation from anyone and are still paying the same rent and rates.”
Terrie Daly of Knit 1 Purl 1 went as far to say that the works had actually destroyed her business. “I’ve written to Westmeath County Council and told them it’s destroyed my business and I haven’t heard back from them. This has been going on since September and they are telling me it won’t be finished until March. They will be outside the door for a further week, working inside the railings and then they are going to do the footpaths which will take three weeks. They will be forcing pedestrians to walk on the far side of the railings which will exclude the shop. My whole season has been lost,” she explained
Ms. Daly said she had informed Westmeath County Council that she would not be paying rates for the duration of the works. “They have been outside my door for six months and I still could do with compensation because as I’ve said they have destroyed my business,” she stressed.
She said that aside from the upset to her business, the enhancement works are proving to be dangerous and she said had witnessed a number of near-misses involving pedestrians and vehicles. “They put the barriers up which are protecting the workers and there is a pedestrian crossing just here outside the door. I saw a 40ft truck almost jack knife a couple of weeks ago, he had to hit his brakes so hard. I’ve spoken to the man from the County Council who is in charge of the works and the man from Carey’s. They were in the shop before Christmas and I asked them to please do something about the crossing because someone will be killed but that’s as far as it went.”
She added that the Dominick traders have been discussing the disruption caused to their businesses and have contacted a number of councillors. “They have destroyed my livelihood. As simple as that,” she concluded.
Lorraine Turner of The Learning Lab, Oliver Plunkett Street, said that she has noticed a decline in business over the last week. “It has been very quiet this week and there is usually a lot of people coming in and out and there would be a good footfall. There is a lot of beeping outside in the last couple of days especially in the evening time. People don’t seem to be able to get across the pedestrian crossing safely and everyone who has come into the shop has said something about it and people are telling others to stay out of the town as well which isn’t good for the businesses,” she added.
Staff from Day’s Bazaar, Oliver Plunkett Street, also agreed that the busy cafe has been quieter since the new traffic flow system came into place. “It’s actually causing people here to be later for work as well.”
A customer added. “It is going to be like Penneys where there are huge footpaths and no room for cars to park. Its after taking us twenty minutes to get from the Green Bridge to Day’s Bazaar and took us 45 minutes one day, to get from the Cathedral to further up the road. We won’t be coming back into town. We’ll abandon the car at Harbour Street from now on. It’s crazy and they are taking so long. When you are coming down Mary’s Street, you have a pedestrian crossing and somebody is going to be knocked down. It’s desperate.”
Another business owner on Dominick Street, Terry Vitale of Versatile Hair Studio, contributed:. “A lot of people are cancelling appointments because they don’t have time to get their hair done and then get out for the school run so the traffic is impacting on that. definitely. I don’t understand why they are doing loads of roadworks at the same time. Why don’t they start one and then finish it and then go on to another area. Whereas now you have congestion at the top of the street outside Chocolate Brown and right across the road from it and now you have Blackhall congested as well.”
She said that the Dominick Street traders have discussed the issue at length on their WhatsApp group. “All of the businesses are giving out. Even for staff trying to get here in the morning, it’s just crazy. People are giving out to the staff on Dominick Street about the works. We’re not responsible for it and are listening to people getting angry about it. We don’t even know ourselves what’s going on. They keep changing their mind about what they are doing so much that we can’t keep up.”
Another Dominick Street trader who wished to remain anonymous inquired as to why building contractors, Galway based Carey’s Building and Civil Engineering, don’t work into the evenings and over the weekends. “It has affected business dramatically. People are not coming onto the streets. Everybody is saying the same thing. They have now restricted the lanes of traffic down to one lane so it’s even worse. Why they will not do it faster, I don’t know.”
