Houses knocked and eighty farmers affected for Limerick bypasses

IT WILL be eight years before Limerick motorists will be able to drive around and not through Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale - and that is if everything goes according to plan.

Ger Carey, of the Mid-West National Road Design Office, was part of a delegation at a Newcastle West Municipal District meeting to give local councillors an update on the two bypasses on the N21.

One property in Newcastle West and two to three in Abbeyfeale have to be knocked for the bypasses, the meeting heard.

“We have worked on limiting the effect on dwellings,” said Mr Carey. The senior engineer said around 35 landowners in Newcastle West and 50 in Abbeyfeale will be affected by the new roads.

However, farmers won’t have to move their cattle from pasture just yet as there is a long road to go yet.

Mr Carey said in February / March 2021 the four route options for both towns were put on public display and they took on feedback.

The preferred options were chosen and the 400 metre corridors announced in March 2022, after further public consultation.

Since then the team have been progressing the design and many surveys completed including topographical, archaeological, as well as of bats, barn owls and aquatic life.

Mr Carey said some of the ground investigations have been “intrusive” and he thanked and praised the landowners for their co-operation.

“They don’t want to see us coming and we understand that but they opened the gates and facilitated us,” said Mr Carey.

They are “running a little bit behind” but the experienced engineer said “with some confidence” that the 100 metre corridor in both schemes will be revealed in November / December.

This is essentially the route of the road, he said. The first people who will be told will be those living in the houses that have to be knocked, then public representatives and after that the map will go online. Everybody affected by the bypasses will be written to.

Concerned resident urges action for dangerous Limerick road amid safety fears

The 100 metre corridor will be put on public display and it is hoped there will be an application to An Bord Pleanala in the summer of 2024 to construct the scheme.

Cllr John Sheahan asked for an estimate of when the bypasses - two lanes on each side with no hard shoulder similar to Castleisland - would be completed.

“It depends on a lot of things. It is typically taking An Bord Pleanala two years to make its decision so that is the summer of 2026. If there is a judicial review it could take three years,” said Mr Carey.

But if there is no judicial review and they get the green light in the summer of 2026, there would be a year to a year and a half of preparatory work and a contractor appointed. Mr Carey said if the contractor was on site in early 2028 then the bypasses could be completed in summer 2031.

Cllr Liam Galvin said it was a mistake that the Adare, Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale bypasses were not done at the same time.

“Anyone driving on the N21 has to travel through the three towns to get to Limerick. It’s a bloody nightmare,” said Cllr Galvin, who raised concerns about the knock-on effects on traffic in Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale once the Adare bypass is completed.

He said some motorists are currently avoiding Newcastle West and Abbeyfeale towns by using roads that are “not fit for purpose”.

Cllr Galvin also said it “beggars belief” that it takes An Bord Pleanala two years to make a decision. “Two or three months should be long enough,” he said.

Cllr Sheahan asked about the process of compensation for landowners. Mr Carey said this occurs after An Bord Pleanala gives full planning, compulsory purchase orders confirmed and notices to treat are issued.

Tim Fitzgerald, also of the Mid -West National Road Design Office, said they have valuers and the landowners’ have valuers and very few cases go to arbitration. “Most are settled,” said Mr Fitzgerald.

Cllr Francis Foley said landowners’ livelihoods are on hold at the moment.

Cllr Ruddle said not everybody thinks a bypass is the “most fantastic thing”.

“If there was a ring road around the town (Newcastle West) you would have access. It would be way better than this (bypass) - nobody can get off it,” said Cllr Ruddle.