‘Likely’ that Wexford bridge will be closed

May 1996

Despite the opposition of residents and business people in the Ferrybank area, county councillors are expected to this week decide to completely close Wexford bridge next year for repair works, instead of keeping it open with a one-way system.

Councillors are due to meet this afternoon ( Wednesday) to discuss the contentious matter with their consulting engineers before then making a decision.

However, despite a strong lobbying campaign by the ‘Over the Water’ Bridge Committee, councillors are expected to opt for the ‘short, sharp shock’ ten-week complete closure option, instead of keeping one lane open to traffic for the duration of the work, which is the preferred choice of the Bridge committee.

County Development Officer, John Pierce, said that Council officials had examined every option and are of the opinion that the ten-week closure was the only realistic one available.

Mr Pierce said that to try to keep one lane open would not only extend the timescale from ten weeks to almost a year, but it would also present very serious safety risks.

He also pointed out that one-way option would create another problem with lengthy tailbacks in each direction for almost the full year the work would be going on.

Council officials are also concerned that if the work isn’t carried out now, the £5 million funding for the project might not be available in the future.

‘We are looking at short-term disruption for long-term gain,’ he said.

However, the ‘Over the Water’ Bridge Committee has kept their campaign going to the last minute, and met with several councillors last week and over the weekend.

They say that over 100 jobs will be lost if the Council decides to close the bridge completely, and argue that on balance, complete closure ‘is not an option’.

‘Jobs are at risk in the area and this has not been properly considered. We do not believe that the European Community will be impressed with us spending their money in a way that results in the loss of 100 jobs which may not be recovered,’ said a statement issued by the committee this week.