THIS YEAR 16 MAJOR ROAD SCHEMES IN OR BENEFITING THE BMW REGION ARE UNDERWAY  

The Minister for Transport, Séamus Brennan T.D., today (Monday, 10^th May 2004) performed the official opening of two substantial new strategic road schemes that will have significant benefits for those travelling to and from the West of Ireland on the N4 and N5 national routes.

The Scramoge to Cloonmore scheme is between Longford and Strokestown on the N5 route linking Dublin and Westport and is a newly constructed 8km two-lane carriageway built at a cost of €25m.

The €27 million N4 Rockingham to Cortober scheme completes the upgrading of the main link between Boyle, Co. Roscommon and Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim. It comprises the widening and realignment of over 8km of the existing N4 route and the construction of a further 3km of high quality new road.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Brennan said the completion of these two major road schemes would be of valuable strategic, social and economic benefit to the BMW (Border, Midlands & Western) Region.

Minister Brennan said: "I am committed to developing Irelands infrastructure and public transport in a way that is balanced, benefits all of the regions and avoids a level of investment on the East coast that distorts this balanced approach. I became acutely aware when I became Minister of the unacceptable level of under spending on infrastructure in the BMW Region. I instructed the National Roads Authority to address this as a matter of urgency. I am pleased to say that as a result of that re-appraisal the total expenditure on national roads in the BMW region in 2004 is €307 million - an increase of 62% on 2003".

The Minister added: "This increased investment will allow for work to start on 9 major schemes involving 60km of high quality roadway. Between these projects, and those already under construction since 2003, there are a total of 16 major projects in or benefiting the BMW region. Today, in these two completed road schemes, we see the beneficial results of committed funding. The roll out of greatly improved infrastructure in the BMW region will speed up over the coming years as high investment is maintained".

Minister Brennan outlined progress on infrastructure projects:

• A number of projects in the BMW or partially in the BMW region are in construction, including the N2 Carrickmacross Bypass, and N26 Ballina/Bohola Phase 1.
• The major Kilcock/Kinnegad and Monasterevin projects will also benefit the BMW region.
• The NRA is now at the tendering process with a view to beginning work in 2004 on the M1 Dundalk Western Bypass, N52 Mullingar Bypass, N55 Cavan By Pass, and the N15  Ballyshannon/Bundoran Bypass.
• The NRA has allocated €128m for works on N4 and N6 in 2004 including for work progress on Kilcock/Kinnegad, Sligo Inner Relief (N4) and McNeads Bridge/Kinnegad (N4). 
• Work is also due to start this year on Loughrea Bypass as an immediate measure to remove a bottleneck on the N6 in advance of full upgrade of N6. 
• All projects in planning on N6 are expected to be through statutory procedures before the end of 2004.

The Minister paid tribute to the NRA and Roscommon County Council for their work in constructing the N5 Scramoge to Cloonmore  road. This project represents a major engineering triumph as it involved building a road over some of the weakest ground to be found anywhere in Ireland.

Other major road schemes on the N5 include the 18km Charlestown Bypass, estimated to cost €63 million, on which approval is awaited from An Bord Pleanala on the CPO Order, and the 15km Westport-Castlebar road, estimated to cost over €58 million, on which preliminary design and preparation of Statutory documentation is nearing completion. 

The Rockingham to Cortober Road project completes the upgrade of the N4 in Co. Roscommon to a high quality single carriageway. Projects under construction on the N4 include the 35km Kilcock/Enfield/Kinnegad Bypass, Sligo Inner Relief Road and McNeadsa Bridge to Kinnegad. Projects in planning include the 20km Dromod/Newtownforbes scheme (preferred route corridor adopted) and the Carrick-on-Shannon By-Pass, which incorporates a new River Shannon crossing.

Both projects were funded under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006, and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund of the European Union.

Minister Brennan said Irelands infrastructure map is being transformed as substantial projects reach fruition.

Rapid progress is now being made on rolling out a major national roads building programme as a result of a number of recent developments, primarily the securing of an historic agreement on a multi annual funding arrangement for infrastructure projects that guarantees State investment of almost €7 billion over the next five years. When this is combined with at least €2 billion in private investment the result is that up to €10 billion will be poured into building new motorways and dual carriageways on a scale never before envisaged.

Minister Brennan added: "We are entering a particularly exciting era for road building in Ireland. The combination of the agreed five year rolling multi-annual investment package, the maximum use of Design and Build contracts, and the enhanced management of projects by the National Roads Authority means we can deliver major roads projects faster, within budget and, in most cases, ahead of schedule. The guaranteed annual investment is the most significant development in years for roads. It allows the Department and the NRA to better plan and implement ambitious projects with greater effectiveness and with the emphasis on delivery and value for money".

Further information:
Tom Rowley             (01) 6041089   087 8124723
Veronica Scanlan     (01) 6041087   087 6430622