Sherlock welcomes comments on M20 route
MEANWHILE, MDP CALLS FOR FUNDING TO BE ALLOCATED FOR MALLOW RELIEF ROAD
THE Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock has welcomed comments by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the proposed M20 Cork - Limerick motorway will follow the route originally suggested back in 2011.
Over recent weeks it had been suggested that an alternative route through the Galtees, using a portion of the existing Cork-Dublin motorway, was being considered as a more financially viable alternative to the corridor running west of the existing N20.
However, Mr Varadkar has poured cold water in this speculation saying that any variation to the route originally proposed could set the project back by months or even years.
He confirmed that the review of the Government’s capital spending plan, details of which are due to be announced in the near future, would outline the 80km route as it had been initially proposed.
“The intention is to follow the route plan which has been intended for a very long time, the direct route between Cork and Limerick, because that provides the bypass for Buttevant and Charleville and other towns along the way,” he said.
Welcoming the Taoiseach’s comments, Deputy Sherlock said he had spoken to the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) chief executive Michael Nolan, who had told him there was no proposal put forward to route the motorway through the Galtees.
“That was a suggestion made locally, but there was no real substance to it as confirmed to me by Michael Nolan. I welcome the Taoiseach’s comments because we need to keep the original route to free up Mallow, Buttevant and Charleville,” said Deputy Sherlock.
“To give credit where it is due, there has been widespread cross party support for this project and the Taoiseach realises that to have balanced regional development access to the south-west seaboard is essential. This will be the final piece of that jigsaw.”
While Deputy Sherlock said the Mallow Relief Road should be kept on the agenda, he said he would imagine the Government would prioritise the Cork-Limerick motorway.
Meanwhile, the Mallow Development Partnership (MDP) has written to Finance Minister Pascal Donohue and his counterpart in Transport Shane Ross reiterating the importance of funding being allocated for the commencement of route selection and design works for the Mallow Relief Road.
“These letters emphasise the case for the relief road, which has already been made in the 2015 Indecon Report and again in the 2017 Jacobs Feasibility Report undertaken by Cork County Council,” said MDP chair Noel O’Connor.
He said that while both the MDP and Mallow Chamber welcomed progression on the M20, “it was likely that a project of such scale would take significant time and require access to large amounts of funding.”
“In the meantime, there is a strong economic case for advancing the Mallow N72/N73 Northern Relief Road as an interim scheme that would address specific constraints in the Mallow area, while remaining complementary to a future motorway,” said Mr O’Connor.
“The case for the Relief Road has received the overwhelming support of Cork County Council, local TD’s and public representatives, business people and residents of Mallow and the wider region,” he added.