Cullen turns sod on €63m Charlestown Bypass

Date: 22 February 2006

7,000 vehicles a day to be removed from Charlestown and Carracastle

The new Charlestown Bypass will see 7,000 vehicles currently clogging Charlestown and Carracastle removed inside 22 months, Transport Minister, Martin Cullen said today (Monday, 20th February 2006). The Minister was speaking in Mayo where he turned the sod to officially start work on the €63million Charlestown Bypass project.

"This is one of the 39 road projects the Government is delivering through Transport 21. With each new project, we are cutting journey times, improving traffic flows, making roads safer and helping business do business. Project by project, towns like Charlestown and counties like Mayo are becoming better places to live and better places to do business in", Minister Cullen said.

The Charlestown bypass will be 18km of single carriageway from the townland of Cloonlara, at the eastern end of the Swinford Bypass to Currinah on the existing N5 in Co. Roscommon between Carracastle and Ballaghaderreen. It will pass 1.6km south of Charlestown and 0.3km south of Carracastle. The project is expected to deliver travel times savings to people in the area and tourists and businesses travelling West.

Minister Cullen said: "The Charlestown Bypass is one of 39 road projects underway in the first year of the Government's Transport 21 plan. 14 of these are in the BMW region. This is real progress, delivering real people benefits.

Highlighting the investment under Transport 21 for the BMW region, Minister Cullen said: "The West of Ireland will be a major beneficiary of the transport investment provided for under Transport 21. Substantial funds will be poured into road, rail and airports along the whole Western part of the country.

"The Western Rail Corridor will be reopened to Claremorris. Athenry will get a new commuter rail service to Galway City. New and more frequent rail services will be provided within the Western area and between the West and the rest of the country. The Atlantic Road Corridor, connecting Letterkenny to Waterford via Sligo, Galway, Limerick and Cork will be delivered. Ireland West Airport Knock will also receive funding for development works and safety related infrastructure. This is a practical demonstration of the Government's and Fianna Fáil's commitment to investing in the regions and to delivering the infrastructure counties in the West need and deserve", the Minister concluded.

Speaking in Charlestown, National Roads Authority Chairman, Peter Malone said: "The benefits delivered by the roll out of the largest roads programme in the history of the state can be seen up and down the country as more towns and villages are bypassed and long sections of motorway opened. The quality of life for bypassed communities similar to Charlestown on the N5 is greatly enhanced, allowing them to enjoy a healthier, safer and commercially competitive environment, which is also more attractive to tourists.

"The Transport 21 Plan copper fastens the Government's commitment to the delivery of a top class infrastructure comparable with the best in Europe. The €1.466 billion allocated under the plan for this year will maintain the high level of activity in road construction. 2006 will see 15 new projects starting construction and 13 key projects completed this year. Transport 21 is not just about linking motorways across the country. It also has a significant regional dimension and in this regard the Authority has allocated €25million for the ongoing development of the N5 in 2006. Balanced regional development is an NRA priority in line with Government policy and this years investment of half a billion euros in the BMW Region is a practical demonstration of this policy", Mr Malone concluded.

ENDS

Further info:

Veronica Scanlan 01 - 6041090 / 087 - 6430622