E-mail to Pat "the Cope" Gallagher re allocation of funds for regional signposting in five counties
8th Feb 2003
Dear Minister Gallagher
I welcome your recent announcement and allocation of funds for regional signposting of Secondary Roads in counties Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Sligo and Wexford as per your press release of 29th January but I am compelled to ask some questions.
1. Why not sort out the glaring problems with appalling signposting and lack of on National Primary routes first?
2. Why just 5 counties and under what criteria are these counties deemed to be more in need of additional signposting than the remaining 21? (apart from the obvious re inclusion and overtly generous allocation to Donegal of course!)
3. Why were these fund not spread over all the counties to put a basic level of signposting in ALL counties and build on that over five years? Do you not feel that tourists and travellers go to other counties at all, or that there is not much point in providing excellent signposting in one county if the neighbouring county remains at an appalling level? Again the lack of continuity strikes me as the core problem with Irish signposting and signposting policy.
4. Would you not agree that the criteria for tourist signposting should be primarily or first and foremost at least for tourists to get between main regional centres as a priority - That signposting of villages is not a vital or pressing necessity for tourists.
5. I am presuming, unfortunately, that the locals authorities for these five counties will have full responsibility for implementation, deciding upon and tendering for these signs. Is there any process or policy being put in place regarding the continuity and standardisation of signposting policy with which all these LA's will have to comply? I speak with regard to inter county signposting continuity, policy regarding location and criteria for junction signposting i.e. 50 m before junction, at junction and confirmation signposts after junction and a standardisation in size and appearance of signposting in ALL counties so that locations or towns of equal size are prioritised in a logical and decreasing order on ALL signposts?
I await in hope of your reply and an explanation of your reasoning behind your recent allocation
I should also point out that my website irishsignposting.com has been receiving considerable attention from the International media and I shall be posting this correspondence and your reply if any is received on the site.
Yours Faithfully
Peter Jordan
Breaffy
Castlebar
Co. Mayo
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