Mayo Age Friendly Programme, Mayo Town Centre First Programme, Claremorris Swinford Municipal District, Mayo Active Travel, Ballyhaunis Town Team, Western Care and other groups collaborated to conduct a Walkability Audit in Ballyhaunis on Monday 21st July. Cllr Alma Gallagher and members of An Garda Síochána supported and participated in this initiative. The group met at Communal House for a full briefing by Eileen O’Connor, Mayo Age Friendly Manager.
This well-attended event aimed to review access for everyone in the town using the NTA Universal Design Walkability Audit Tool for Roads and Streets, with a particular focus on Ballyhaunis as an Age Friendly town: if a place is age-friendly it is usually fully accessible to all other age groups and abilities. All age groups and abilities were represented: a Universal Design approach caters for the broadest range of users to ensure that public spaces are safe and user-friendly.
Using feedback from the public consultation for the Ballyhaunis Town Centre First Plan and advice from the Town Team, five key routes were identified. These are the most used routes to access shopping, amenities, schools, religious buildings and key places in the town. Five groups walked one route each, to identify any problems, highlight areas of concern, acknowledge where provision is good and to make suggestions about improvements. Each group had a leader who guided the walk, took photos, ensured everyone was safe.
During the Walkability Audit, consideration was given to places to rest/ sit (age-friendly seating), crossings, obstacles (such as cars parking on footpaths), bins, overhanging trees/ shrubs, street signage (including signs on footpaths). Other considerations included how the streets look and feel (are they clean, is there a feeling of safety, are people considerate). All the feedback was collected during a debriefing session in Communal House.
The information collected ( photographs, feedback, questionnaires, comments ) will form an important report, vital to make a case for funding to carry out relevant works, priority being given to the most urgent issues. It will also be included in the Ballyhaunis Town Centre First Plan.
Mayo County Council would like to thank all of those who participated, sent comments via the Chamber of Commerce and contributed to the success of this critical exercise.
