Service areas next stage of development of roads
Seven proposals are being pursued by private interests for service areas on or close to interchanges along the M1 Dublin-Border route, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport has been told by Fred Barry, chief executive of the National Roads Authority.
“Proposals for service areas on other major inter-urban routes are also being developed, and the numbers involved are expected to increase as the private sector responds to the commercial opportunities involved”, said Mr Barry.
He said the proposals typically involve service stations, food outlets, toilets and extensive parking facilities. In some cases they include accommodation and more extensive commercial outlets.
The service area proposals currently under consideration are being progressed in accordance with normal planning requirements. But the National Roads Authority’s target is to have service areas at approximately 30 minute intervals, or at 50 km to 60 km gaps.
Mr Barry said there is much toing and froing between the landowners and local authority planners in order to arrive at proposals with which the NRA and the local authorities would be satisfied.
The NRA wants to ensure that sufficient land is dedicated to car and truck parking and so forth and the local authorities want to be certain that any new development would not drag business out of surrounding towns.
