Tánaiste welcomes progress being made on new Limerick to Cork road

THE TÁNAISTE Micheál Martin has welcomed the progress which is being made to develop the N20 road between Limerick and Cork.

Mr Martin made his comments at the opening of nine new social housing apartments in Charleville - one of the towns which is set to be bypassed under the N/M20 project.

“Anyone who uses this road is well used to its challenges as it is currently configured - so, I certainly welcome the progress that is being made and a preferred route is being identified. There is now work underway with TII (Transport Infrastructure Ireland) and the County Councils, before it (a definitive plan) can be submitted in the next stage," he told Limerick Live.

Former school of Éamon De Valera transformed into social housing project

“It would mean enormous benefits in active travel as well, massive kilometres would be realised once this road is built, but in terms of the connectivity of Limerick and Cork, it is important for regional economic balance. 

“In many ways, it has always been the view that the closer we bring Limerick and Cork together, [the better connectivity will be] to other routes too,” the Tánaiste added.

The N/M20 Cork to Limerick Project is a key element in Project Ireland 2040, the Government’s long-term overarching strategy. 

€5 million allocated to planning and design of M20 Limerick to Cork motorway

“The NDP sets out that the N/M20 Cork to Limerick project would provide better connectivity between Ireland’s second and third largest cities by improving the quality of the transport network which will address safety issues associated with the existing N20 route and provide for safer and more efficient journey times.

“The need for improvements to the N20 was identified in the 1998 National Roads Needs Study.  In 2008 a study was commissioned to identify a preferred route corridor for an upgraded carriageway between Cork and Limerick,” according to the official N/M20 website.