West Cork councillor urges renewal of faded road markings during works

West Cork Fianna Fáil councillor Alan Dromey has called for faded road markings to be renewed while contractors are already on site, rather than restoring only short stretches.

Speaking at a West Cork Municipal District meeting, Dromey said better coordination between Cork County Council and contractors carrying out utility or road works could improve safety and make public money go further. He noted that markings are sometimes reinstated only across a small excavation, leaving the surrounding road lines faded or absent, citing Shannonvale as an example.

Dromey argued that where specialist crews and traffic‑management arrangements are already in place, extending the work to a longer section would be practical and cost‑effective. He clarified he is not proposing that every road be repainted whenever work occurs, but that the council should examine opportunities for broader renewal.

Independent Ireland councillor Danny Collins supported the motion, describing cases where excavations cut through painted road warnings, leaving only part of a word visible. Senior executive engineer John Ahern explained that road‑opening licences require contractors to replace markings damaged during excavations, a task normally carried out by specialist contractors engaged by the licence holder.

Ahern added that renewing markings beyond the licence area would be funded from the council’s general road‑maintenance budget and considered case by case, subject to procurement and safety vetting procedures.

Dromey welcomed the response, saying keeping a marking crew working along a road could be more practical than stopping after a small patch.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: K / Pexels.