Packed public meeting hears calls for replacement of Offaly's 'death trap' road

LIVES are at risk unless funds for the construction of a new road to alleviate record levels of traffic through Durrow are reinstated, a public meeting in the local hall was told on Monday night.

The community of Durrow stepped up the pressure on Transport Minister Eamon Ryan on an evening where his Green Party colleague and Offaly-based Minister of State, Pippa Hackett, said she agreed with local people's concerns about the N52 between Kilbeggan and Tullamore and the dangers associated with the junction at the High Road in particular.

After hearing speaker after speaker lay out in stark terms how an escalation in vehicle numbers had occurred since a plan for an entirely new road was shelved 11 years ago, Minister Hackett said: “I agree with every word that has been said.”

The Senator from Geashill added: “I know there's a massive sense of frustration in the community that since 2009 this road has been promised and hasn't materialised and then it was promised again and didn't materialise again.”

Minister Hackett said she could not promise that the road project would once again be prioritised but stated that in the meantime Durrow could draw on a €25 million fund which the Government had ringfenced for dangerous junctions next year.

She said she had spoken to Minister Ryan's office before the meeting and will be following up on getting access to the fund.

“Even if the bypass was on the priority list next year we could be still years and years away from when it might be actually in place.”

The Minister added: “I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know if that road will or will not happen.”

Prior to that, measures such as traffic calming, road widening and safety issues would have to be addressed.

“Even Minister Ryan isn't going to say that these are not issues. They are issues but I just can't say that road will be prioritised next year.”

The Fianna Fail TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen, laid out how a new N52 link between the Dublin-Galway motorway and the Tullamore town bypass had been planned previously but then withdrawn in 2012.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow but one has to acknowledge the public finances were as they were at that time,” said Deputy Cowen.

The TD detailed to the packed hall how the process had been restarted and by last year had moved to route finalisation, environmental assessment and compulsory purchase of land.

The project, where land purchase would cost €2 million and the 8.1km road itself €70 million, had been budgeted for.

“So there's no excuse, or no way [Minister Ryan] can say the funding has exceeded the commitment that was given previously.”

Therefore he was “quite surprised” that Minister Ryan had then decided to “delete some projects including this one”.

He said he had joined with representatives from the Durrow community and lobbied the Fianna Fail Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Jack Chambers, for its reinstatement.

He had met Minister Ryan too and “begged” for the project and would be doing so again, along with all parties and none.

Even if that happens, he cautioned that the interim measures would have to take place and suggested meeting the relevant official of Offaly County Council Tom Shanahan.

Carol Nolan, Independent TD for Offaly, said she had raised the issue along with her six rural independent colleagues in the Dail and noted that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) had been critical of Minister Ryan and warned him of fatalities unless investment in roads takes place.

A number of Tullamore councillors also addressed the meeting. Cllr Sean O'Brien, Independent, recalled the extreme disappointment at the sudden decision to take the latest Kilbeggan-Tullamore road proposal off the Government's list of projects.

“Absolutely the ground was taken from under us,” said Cllr O'Brien. He also said he had asked the council for a reduction in the speed limit on the main road 1km either side of the High Road junction.

Cllrs Declan Harvey and Tony McCormack, both Fianna Fail, and Cllr Neil Feighery, Fine Gael, approached the front of the hall together and pledged their support for the community.

“I'm behind you 100%,” said Cllr Harvey, the chair of Tullamore Municipal District.

Cllr Feighery said they had been fighting for the project for a long time. “It's hugely important. It has the capacity to transform the community of Durrow,” he remarked.

Cllr McCormack said he was probably one of the first councillors to raise the issue and he highlighted the importance for business of having a route from the motorway right into Tullamore: “We need that bypass and that's what we have to fight for.”

Kilbeggan man Cllr Liam McDaniel, chair of Westmeath County Council, pledged to keep it on the agenda in his local authority.

Earlier, the meeting's chair Charlie Kelleher, spelled out the many issues which brought the community to the conclusion that the existing road infrastructure was not just a health and safety issue, but potentially a life and death one.

At the High Road there is a school, a childcare facility, a church, a graveyard and a community hall, all in the centre of an area with secondary roads used by everyone, including the farming community.

Along with that, the meeting was told about the GAA club at the Four Roads junction and the Durrow monastic site in between.

Mr Kelleher pointed to TII figures which revealed that the 12,000 vehicles using the road daily in 2014 had jumped to 15,288 by this year. The five-day weekday average is now even higher – 16,548.

“We are now in a position where a red light is flashing,” declared Mr Kelleher. Calling on Minister Ryan to reinstate the funding for the project he said: “This will only change when the flashing light turns green.”

Another speaker, PJ Lynam, said a road which should be the life blood running diagonally down the country from Dundalk through Mullingar and Tullamore and on to Limerick was instead “beginning to look like a blocked artery” and “an accident waiting to happen”.

Mr Lynam said he had accompanied elected representatives to meetings with Minister Chambers and added: “I'm here a lifetime. I've never seen the community as strong as it is now.”

Arguably the most striking contribution was made by James Hogan, principal of Durrow National School.

The school now had 203 pupils from 135 families and 20 staff and a survey had found that 93% of families used their own vehicle for the school run, 6% used the bus and 1% other means. 98% thought the N52 is not safe and 55% of children were being brought to school by their grandparents.

On a normal day the traffic situation, without a funeral, a wedding or some other event, was “chaotic”, said Mr Hogan, and people and pupils were stressed and traumatised.

“As principal I've witnessed and learned of several near misses here,” he said. “Our school community, and I'm sure many more tonight, can give an example of where they too have experienced near misses.”

The principal also told the meeting: “I'm dreading the phone call I will get to say a child has been killed or seriously injured.”

Austin O'Brien, Durrow Childcare and a nearby resident, echoed those points and spoke of how he used to cycle to work but could no longer do so. “I had to give it up. It's just too dangerous.”

Rory Wright, speaking for parents, said it often required a “leap of faith” to cross the N52 and many drivers instead where choosing to take longer routes to avoid the most dangerous right turns.

Selina Bracken, Durrow IFA, stressed the need for a hard shoulder on the road and said the situation could not be left to stagnate any further.

Paul Lynam, speaking for the business community, said he had a duty of care to his drivers and he also dreaded getting a call that a van had been in an accident.

In remarks which prompted applause, he said other road projects had been announced recently, including one for Adare: “Guess what? When the Ryder Cup was coming down the road, suddenly they got their road.”

Mr Lynam said a “go slow on the N52 on a regular basis” could happen if the “commonsense” decision wasn't taken by the Government for Durrow.

Greg Mahon detailed how the road between Kilbeggan and Tullamore is now a “nightmare” for cycling groups and Tom McDermott, Durrow GAA, said it was a growing club but was getting to the point where fears about traffic were nearly causing matches to be called off.

Helen Bracken reminded the meeting about the tourist potential of Durrow monastic site and Durrow Abbey, saying it was one of the greatest sites in the country but was now “hidden”, without even a sign on the road pointing to where it is.

Anthony Hanniffy, Tullamore Chamber of Commerce, said the cost of the road project was a “misnomer” because State money would be paid back by the economic benefits.

Mr Hanniffy also referred to the need for a quality road to Tullamore Hospital which has been designated as a regional trauma centre.

In a sobering assessment of the timeline even if the link road project is reinstated early next year, David Deering predicted it could be 2031 before it is finished, taking account of many factors including statutory assessments, An Bord Pleanala evaluation and construction time.

The meeting closed with a call from Charlie Kelleher on more people to sign a petition. Mr Kelleher also said: “We'll be looking for an immediate meeting with the Minister for Transport Mr Eamon Ryan. We want him to meet a delegation.”

He added: “The community of Durrow are threatening they will take more serious action if something isn't done. We're not saying tonight what that might be, we haven't decided what that might be.”

Mr Kelleher concluded: “The community is not going to take this lying down. They want the funds reinstated, full stop.”