Business leaders back plan for controversial bypass

SENIOR business leaders have called on the Government to press ahead with plans for a controversial eastern bypass to complete the M50 ring motorway around Dublin.

IBEC’s director of transport policy, Reg McCabe and the chief executive of Dublin Port Company, Enda Connellan have both recommended the speeding up of the project as vital to alleviate the city’s traffic and transport problems.

Writing in Roads Ireland magazine, Mr McCabe said objections to the project were based on cost-benefit criticisms. He acknowledged such scepticism was perhaps justified with estimates it could be €2 billion.

However, Mr McCabe pointed out that the figure was based on a feasibility study of constructing a bored tunnel under Dublin Bay which did not consider other alternative designs.

He pointed out the Irish Academy of Engineers had recently proposed such a bypass could be built on a raised causeway with the advantage of acting as a flood defence for low-lying areas such as Sandymount.

Mr Connellan, who is also the chairman of IBEC’s transport and logistics council, described the bypass as “the missing link” in Dublin’s road system.

He claimed it would ease congestion along the eastern side of the city as well as taking the pressure off other parts of the M50.

Also writing in Roads Ireland, he predicted the bypass could be opened by 2015 if construction on the project could start by 2010.

He estimated up to 60,000 vehicles would use it with motorists paying a toll of €6 or €8.

Both men also pointed out that the link between road improvement and economic growth was now widely accepted.

“If the bypass is not built, national competitiveness will be undermined especially in the absence of control and use of private cars,” said Mr Connellan.

Feasibility and planning work for the project are contained in the Government’s Transport 21 plan.