Enniscorthy ring road is ‘unlikely’

September 1978

A campaign by Councillor Andy Doyle for a byepass road of Enniscorthy that would run from Scarawalsh and via the Milehouse area, to join up with the New Ross road, has been deemed ‘unlikely to every happen’.

Cllr Doyle’s alternative plan, that traffic bound for New Ross should travel from Blackstoops via Summerhill, the Duffry, Patrick Street, and Ross Road, on an ‘unofficial’ ring road route, instead of going right through the town centre and out the other side, has also been labelled ‘unworkable’.

The proposals came into focus last week when, at Cllr Doyle’s request, the members and officials of the Urban District Council went on traffic ‘walkabout’ prior to the monthly meeting proper beginning in Murphy Flood’s Hotel.

At the meeting itself, and following discussion of the proposals of both sides, members decided that the cost of Mr Doyle’s bye-pass proposal would be prohibitive. Also, it was pointed out that much traffic is already using the ‘alternative’ New Ross route that Cllr. Doyle mentioned, in order to get away from congestion at Enniscorthy Bridge.

Mr Doyle was unhappy to hear that financial reasons would be the main cause of his idea not going ahead.

‘Money will simply have to be made available,’ he said, ‘for we must take into consideration here that this road will be for the convenience of traffic going to and coming from the ports of New Ross and Waterford.’

Mr Doyle concluded by saying that the large volume of heavy traffic was seriously undermining foundations of houses in several parts of Enniscorthy. He said he was aware of gaps in the foundation of houses in the Island Road.

The Co. Manager (Mr. Noel Dillon) said there was no doubt that ‘ideally’ they could ‘ring’ or bye-pass Enniscorthy, but there was little use in spending much time talking about it now because of the sheer lack of funding. In fact, he thought it unlikely that such a plan would ever go ahead.