Calls for better road links to Rosslare port
If a hard Brexit comes to pass and forces the loss of Britain as a landbridge, Roll- On Roll- Off traffic at Rosslare Europort will be crucial.
Urging the government to step investment in major upgrades to access routes to the port, Deputy James Browne says Brexit, one way or another, will have a significant impact on transport supply chains right across Ireland.
‘Rosslare Europort stands to see increased traffic volumes as it will be one of the few available transport options for Ireland to export and import perishable goods to and from the continent. However, access roads into and out of the port are already below standard,’ he said.
‘Heavy traffic on the roundabouts outside Wexford town is indicative of the county’s infrastructural deficit. It’s vital that access routes from Dublin and the West are prioritised, and with traffic volumes expected to grow, these upgrades must be undertaken as a matter of urgency.
‘ Transport Infrastructure Ireland has already highlighted the need for a third lane on the N11/M11 to address the growing congestion problem. It also claimed that any delay in investment would constrain growth and hinder productivity.’
Deputy Browne said that despite this, we haven’t seen the Government come forward with any plan to invest in Rosslare Europort to help the facility deal with the fallout from Brexit.
‘ The government needs to seriously up its game when it comes to investing in transport infrastructure. Failure to do so will only lead to increased hardship for Wexford commuters and will damage the economy in the wider south-east,’ he said.
meanwhile, a Tipperary councillor is calling for a joint meeting with councillors from Wexford and New Ross to discuss establishing a new motorway link connecting Limerick to Rosslare Eurport.
Cllr Eddie O’Meara says there should be a renewed push to ensure that the N24 connecting Limerick to Waterford is upgraded to a motorway bypassing Tipperary town.
He said it’s just as important to get the route upgraded from Tipperary town to Rosslare, as it is from Limerick to Tipperary town, due to the potential chaos emanating from Brexit.
‘If you exit through Dublin port, you’ll have to go through the British zone, and back into the Eurozone,’ said Cllr O’Meara.
‘Whereas if you exit through Rosslare to Le Havre, or Cherbourg, you’re still within the Eurozone, so you have no customs. It’s vitally important for exports, and common sense would say that’s the way to go.’
He said there should be a joint meeting with colleagues in Piltown Municipal District, New Ross, and Wexford, to explore the possibility of a joint delegation to government concerning the route.