YOU could drive to Galway in the time it takes to get from the city centre to the University of Limerick (UL).
That’s according to Metropolitan Mayor Daniel Butler who told council members at City Hall this Monday that the journey from the city centre to UL can take up to 90 minutes for those travelling to work.
“You could get to Galway in that time,” he said at the monthly meeting of the Travel and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).
He was commenting on a notice of motion from Fianna Fail councillor Joe Pond calling on Limerick City and County Council, together with Clare County Council, to progress the development of the Northern Distributor Road as a matter of urgency.
Cllr Pond said the Northern Distributor Road should be regarded as “a vital piece of infrastructure” for the city and county.
And with Edwards Lifesciences’ recent announcement of 600 new jobs for the National Technology Park in Castletroy, he believes action is now needed expeditiously.
Cllr Butler took the view that the local authority needs to be “hammering this issue home day and night to get meaningful progress”.
“For the future growth of Plassey we need to do something. Companies are reluctant to expand because of the transport issue,” he added.
Sinn Fein councillor Séighin Ó Ceallaigh claimed there was an “unwillingness from unelected officials” within the council executive to move on the Northern Distributor Road project.
“It is up to us as councillors not the faceless people upstairs. We are the elected officials,” he declared.
Operations Manager for Limerick City and County Council, Brian Kennedy agreed that the Northern Distributor Road was a “critical piece of infrastructure” for Limerick and Clare. He assured council members that the local authority is liaising with Clare County Council and the Department of Transport on the matter.
Cllr Pond called for local representatives to be updated every six months on all developments.
“People don’t know what’s happening. We don’t know what’s happening,” said Labour Party councillor Elena Secas.
