Farmers getting fences and gates along bypass
Although the bypass is open five weeks, much work remains to be done, including the erection of fences and gates for farmers as promised by contractors BAM Iridium.
Wexford County Council project liaison officer Sean Dobbs said: ‘At the moment the project is open. In terms of the bypass itself we have moved into the operation and maintenance phase. The PPP company have taken over responsibility for the bypass itself and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Bridge.’
Mr Dobbs said there are works to be completed.
‘ These are being finished off. They are on side roads, involve landscaping and bits of accommodation works which will be ongoing for the next couple of months. The contractor is going through the site and closing out any minor items of work that need to be closed out.’
He said in the overall scale of the €230m state project the works are minor, while acknowledging that they are very important to the landowners. These include fencing jobs and gates.
He met with a residents group who live near Corcoran’s roundabout on the N30, who raised concerns through this newspaper about what they feel is a dangerous junction to the Ballywilliam road.
‘I met with the group last week with Cllr John Fleming as well. We listened to their concerns. I can understand some of them, notwithstanding it’s been through our design certification and road safety audit.’
He said the primary concern is to ensure the road is safe. ‘Nobody wants a change in the layout and then for it to have unintended consequences that might introduce other safety issues. We are looking into the concerns the residents have and I am consulting with Wexford County Council.’
Mr Dobbs said other localised issues have been raised with him. ‘We want to assure everyone that by no means that the contractors left the site. They are working away and there is a schedule of works.’