No council backing to drop road plan

Hopes that Clare County Council would drop its plans for a controversial €120 million motorway crossing through South-East Clare were dashed this week after councillors failed to support a proposal from a county councillor.
Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald asked that the council drop its plans to proceed with Phase Two of the Northern Distributor Road and concentrate its efforts on developing the new River Shannon Crossing at Killaloe and upgrading the existing roads between Parteen village and the University of Limerick campus at Garraun.
Speaking at a county council meeting on Monday, Councillor Fitzgerald said people were looking for a new road in the middle of the Celtic Tiger when traffic volumes were significantly higher, but it was never built.
He questioned the merits of proceeding with the route selection process at this time when there is no money to finance the construction of this route in the short term. He also warned that the current Emerging Preferred Route would destroy Parteen village by splitting it in two.
“When I was elected to the council there was only one line on a map and it wasn’t going through anyone’s house. Now a number of houses are being affected. Do we need this road now?” he asked.
His proposal was seconded by Councillor Pat Burke.
However, Deputy Mayor of Clare, Councillor PJ Ryan said he opposed the motion as he felt there is a need to improve the road infrastructure in South-East Clare and improve access to the Clare campus of the University of Limerick.
Director of services, Ger Dollard, pointed out the development of this motorway is considered a piece of strategic infrastructure and is included as a long term objective of the County Development Plan.
Mr Dollard noted it is the responsibility of the council to deliver objectives contained in this plan.
“I don’t think it would be appropriate for the council to abandon an objective of the plan which is subject to a public consultation process,” he said.
The proposal was supported by Councillor Cathal Crowe who claimed it would be far more cost effective in the short term to upgrade existing roads and the access to the university instead of proceeding with this road.
“The road tears the heart out of Parteen and goes through a floodplain in Clonlara,” he said.
In view of Mr Dollard’s comments, Councillor Burke withdrew his support and when it became obvious no seconder was forthcoming, Councillor Fitzgerald agreed to defer his motion.
Earlier, director of services Nora Kaye stressed it would be incorrect to interpret the motorway could be abandoned on the basis that the river crossing and Killaloe bypass could fulfil the roles envisaged for both projects.
“The Limerick Northern Distributor Road is required to provide good quality access and connectivity across the north side of Limerick City and in South-East Clare, to provide access to education and jobs across the same area and for the region in general, to facilitate development of employment opportunities in the future and generally to facilitate enhanced opportunities across all sectors.
“It is appreciated this road will cause disturbance for some property owners and communities. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to develop a piece of infrastructure of this nature without doing so but the process, which is ongoing at present, is inteded to facilitate minimisation of this disturbance through consultation,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Northern Distributor Concerned Residents group has requested the council to publish the cost benefit analysis, which apparently shows how the project will be of net benefit.
The group claimed it is necessary to show why the road had been progressed to this point, which had already cost the taxpayer over €1 million.
“If the analysis is a positive one then in the interests of openness and transparency it should be made available and demonstrate how the project will justify its price tag of hundreds of millions of euros and equally show how the taxpayer will not be exposed to additional costs in subsidies for the tunnel,” said group chairman, Ed English.
Welcoming the publication of the constraints report, Mr English reiterated the view that this information should have been in the public domain from the beginning of this process.
“We are disappointed that the report shows little concern for the residents of the area.”
He also noted that in a report running to almost 100 pages, less than three pages are dedicated to air and noise pollution which will be amongst the main impacts on the villages and residents in the area.
“There is no specific section of the report which deals with the concerns of the people living in the area. The appendix listing the key consultees fails to acknowledge the residents of the area as being amongst the key groups whose opinion should be listened too.
“We fear that this is indicative of a general disregard for the opinions of local residents.
“The report also fails to clarify, in anything other than a generic fashion, the specific justification for the spending that will be required on what is fast becoming a Celtic Tiger style white elephant project. The tunnel on the opposite side of the city is being subsidised by the taxpayer.
“This road will go into direct competition with that road as a non-tolled alternative to the Limerick tunnel. Every car, truck or van that chooses the Northern Distributor Road instead of the tunnel will be paid for by the taxpayer as a subsidy to the tunnel company,” he said.