“MAYHEM” is predicted on West Limerick roads if works to bypass Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale are not progressed at the same time as for Adare.
That was the view of councillors in Newcastle West at this Wednesday’s area meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin welcomed the progress report on distributor roads for the two West Limerick towns, but insisted that the project now needs to be “prioritised”.
“It is a nightmare for anyone driving from the Kerry border into work in Limerick every day. You are stuck in queues of traffic the whole way in at Newcastle West, Croagh and Adare,” Cllr Galvin told the council executive.
“We have to get all our ducks in a row so we can drive on with this report. It needs to be driven.
“It would be an awful shame to see this report sitting on someone’s desk for six weeks and nothing happening. It needs to be completed. A route must be identified so we can then go the Department of the Environment and Local Government for this to be made a priority for the district.
“Maybe we should get the Chinese in to do it,” he suggested.
Fianna Fáil councillor Francis Foley concurred with Cllr Galvin’s comments.
“There will be mayhem here in Newcastle West when Adare gets a bypass. Newcastle West, Abbeyfeale and Adare are all the one scheme as far as I’m concerned,” Cllr Foley declared.
Fine Gael councillor Tom Ruddle also predicted traffic to be backed up in Newcastle West when Adare is bypassed.
Independent councillor Jerome Scanlan then called for Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale to be bypassed in tandem.
“My biggest concern is if the Greens get into government they are totally against roads infrastructure,” he claimed.
Senior Executive Engineer for Newcastle West Municipal District, Gerard O’Connor told council members that the project was “moving at pace” with design options for the distributor roads now being looked at.
“It has moved on from pre-design to design options, which is the next stage,” Mr O’Connor concluded.
