Galway Independent Column - June 9th 2010

Projects involving the word ‘Bypass’ on the NRA Website as at Bank Holiday weekend, June 2010 include the following: M1 Dundalk Western Bypass, N2 Ardee Bypass, N2 Ashbourne Bypass, N2 Carrickmacross Bypass, N2 Castleblayney Bypass, N2 Monaghan Town Bypass, N2 Slane Bypass, N3 Belturbet Bypass, N4 Edgeworthstown Bypass, N4 Sligo Inner Relief Road, N5 Ballaghaderreen Bypass, N5 Charlestown Bypass, N5 Longford Bypass, N6 Loughrea Bypass, N7 Limerick Southern Ring Road,
N7 Limerick Tunnel, N8 Mitchelstown Relief Road, N9/N10 Carlow Bypass, N11 Arklow Gorey Bypass, N11 Enniscorthy Bypass, N11 Rathnew / Ashford Bypass, N15 Ballybofey / Stranorlar Bypass, N15 Ballyshannon / Bundoran Bypass, N16 Manorhamilton Bypass, N17 Collooney to Tobercurry Bypass, N17 Tobercurry Bypass, N17 Tobercurry Bypass, N17 Tobercurry Bypass to Knock Bypass, N18 Ennis Bypass, N21 Adare Bypass, N21 Castleisland Bypass, N22 Ballincollig Bypass, N22 Cork Northern Ring Road, N22 Tralee Bypass, N24 Carrick on Suir Bypass, N24 Clonmel / Cahir Bypass, N24 Clonmel Bypass, N24 Mooncoin Bypass, N25 Dungarvan Bypass, N25 Kinsalebeg to Youghal Bypass, N25 New Ross Bypass, N25 Waterford City Bypass, N51 Navan Inner Relief Road, N52 Ardee Bypass, N52 Mullingar Bypass, N52 Tullamore Bypass, N56 Letterkenny Relief Road, N59 Moycullen Bypass, N59 South Westport Relief Road, N61 Boyle Town Bypass, N61 Roscommon Town Bypass, N62 Horse and Jockey / Thurles Bypass, N62 Roscrea Bypass,
N62 Thurles Bypass, N69 Listowel Bypass, N81 Tallaght Bypass Extension, N83 Ballyhaunis Outer Distributor Road, N84 Ballinrobe Relief Road…

The above, non-exhaustive list, does not include all of the hundreds of villages and smaller towns that have been bypassed by the motorway construction of recent times. The towns in the above list have either been bypassed or are in the process of being bypassed. The aim of a bypass is to reduce accidents, remove long distance traffic from local roads and improve the local environment. A bypass aims to act as a lifeline to commercial and tourist activity and make the bypassed village, town or city a better place in which to shop, work and live. Think back the few short years to when all of the above had to be traversed on any journey, anywhere….Also on the above list is the N6 Galway City Outer Bypass.

While the legal issues regarding the GCOB are ongoing, the need for the bypass has not changed. The news this week that the Supreme Court ruled that the legal issues relating to the Bypass and its compliance with the EU Habitats Directive, should be referred to the European Court of Justice, is welcome in that it will bring finality and clarification to the issue.

We hope that there will be an early determination from Europe but we believe that while Europe is deliberating there is work to be done here. We would like to see agreement from all parties that preparatory works begin right away. It’s worrying to think that further delays will involve significantly increased costs.

Galway Chamber has publicly welcomed the M6 Dublin-Galway motorway and looks forward to increased business for Galway as a result. As part of our lobbying on all matters infrastructural, Galway Chamber lobbied on the M6 and as part of that process we also lobbied for the Galway City Outer Bypass which we see as integral to the M6 motorway.

It makes complete sense that the Galway City Outer Bypass be part of the M6. There is no logic in a motorway finishing on the outskirts of Galway with its traffic having to cross the city via the city centre regardless of its destination. This is as true for a visitor from Dublin going to Clifden as it is for someone living in Knocknacarra going to work in Parkmore. Galway Chamber will continue, with our lobbying partners, to meet with those involved in this process. Our position has always been that the Galway City Outer Bypass will take traffic out of the city that doesn’t need or want to be there, thus freeing space for those who wish to visit the city centre to shop and for leisure purposes, and for public transport.

As we have previously stated there is no conflict between public transport, bus lanes, cycle lanes, park and ride and the Galway City Outer Bypass. Funding for the GCOB will be through Public Private Partnership non-tolled, and will not have a detrimental effect on funding for any other transport initiatives in the city. It will in fact inject about €200 million plus in capital infrastructure into the area with all the attendant employment that such a large project brings.