Lack of motorway costing area dearly, says report

DISASTROUS road links between Waterford and Dublin are costing businesses using the busy route more than 40m each year, a report to be launched next week reveals.

The report, to be launched on Monday, shows the journey time to Dublin is more than 40 minutes longer than it would be were dual-carriageway grade roads provided.

The report was specially commissioned to demonstrate the economic necessity to Government of delivering on the promised motorway link from Waterford to Dublin.

It will intensify pressure on Environment Minister, Martin Cullen, to look after the electorate of the region and give the long-awaited motorway the green light.

The report quantifies the congestion cost of the current inferior N9 route at €41.5m nationally, of which €28.9 m is a cost on the south-east region.

The motorway is due to be finished by 2007, under proposals outlined in the National Development Plan. But no work on the route has yet begun.

Waterford Chamber of Commerce president Frank O’Regan says the motorway is long over-due. The matter needs to be addressed in everyone’s interest. he said.

The report also shows that Waterford attracts just 7.4% of IDA-supported jobs, while the region boasts 10.8% of the country’s population.