REARVIEW:THERE IS A set of pedestrian traffic lights on a regional road in east Co Donegal. On one side of the road is rolling countryside and on the other a small cluster of houses – no more than 10 homes.
Bearing in mind this writer is no road traffic engineer, it seems unusual, to say the least, to place lights here. I have come to the conclusion they could not have been placed there for any safety reason and were more likely a favour to a local constituent. It’s not beyond the bounds of possibility; some people have been blessed with entire bypasses built in return for political favours.
In fairness, the local councillor has played an important role as an advocate for citizens in need of assistance from State apparatus. When it comes to road upkeep, footpaths, lighting and the like, maybe local politics works best. But it is the thin end of the wedge and when this system operates on a national scale, then decisions are taken for the wrong reasons.
It was a relief this week to see national transport decisions being taken based on available funds rather than on the basis of the next election. The Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, has decided to shelve the Metro West project in Dublin because the country cannot afford it any time soon. An Taisce described the decision as a “welcome act of sanity”, and this correspondent tends to agree. It is a tough blow to all those whose lives would have been transformed by the line. But it is refreshing that common sense, and not the power of the parish pump, has won the day.
When the recession is over and normal business resumes, let’s hope common sense will prevail in infrastructure and cronyism will be consigned to the history books.