100 extra bypass jobs is good news for local economy
EMPLOYEES working on the New Ross bypass are spending tens of thousands of euros in the local economy and with numbers expected to grow from 300 to 400 over the coming months there are good times ahead for businesses in the New Ross district.
Wexford County Council’s bypass liaison officer Sean Dobbs said 300 people are curently working on site.
Mr Dobbs said the workforce is likely to increase further during the year to a potential peak of the order of 400 people. ‘ The contractor, BAM Dragados JV has emphasised the importance of working with the local community and local businesses, and their commitment to creating jobs locally throughout the construction process. Suitably qualified staff and sub-contractors from the locality and region are employed on the project, local suppliers are being used, and local businesses such as shops, cafes, restaurants, petrol stations and hotels are benefitting indirectly as a result of the project,’ Mr Dobbs said.
Over 800,000 man hours have been worked to date on the bypass, which strecthes for 14km across south west Wexford and into south Kilkenny, finishing at a newly constructed roundabout at Glenmore.
‘ The scheme will continue supporting the local economy beyond the completion of the construction works with maintenance operations ensuring that the road is safe and contributing with support of the local business and workforce to the wealth of the local community.’
The bypass is expected to cost €250m, including a €90m spend on the new Barrow Bridge which is due to be named this year. It will stretch from Corcoran’s Cross the Glenmore roundabout on the New Ross to Waterford road.
New Ross & District Chamber CEO Teresa Delaney said B&Bs and local hotels have been benefiting greatly from all of the employment generated by the bypass over the past 26 months since work began.
Ms Delaney said: ‘ They have to eat and drink so they are coming in to town. Ernest Levingstone of the chamber was a key driver in getting the bypass and the chamber and its members are very positive about it and are looking forward to it.’
She said many people from the New Ross area are employed on the bypass, who are spending money locally, as opposed to spending it in Dublin or on sites elsewhere in the country.