Despite a half a million euro in place to address a part of the notorious R312 road that links Belmullet to Castlebar, nothing can happen at present, as An Bord Pleanala has refused to grant Mayo county council permission to proceed with the much needed improvement works at Glenisalnd.

The matter was discussed at the montly meeting of Mayo county council and West Mayo based councillor Gerry Coyle described the situation as a scandal.

He said that he, and the people who regularly use that road, find it hard to accept that An Bord Pleanala can reject the Natura Impact Statement submitted by Mayo county council to let the work get underway.

He told Midwest News that everything is now at a standstill and road users face another winter of dangerous driving conditions along this stretch of winding, narrow road.