Shannon-Galway motorway ‘essential’ for airport

A NEW super roadway connecting Shannon with Galway and the west is essential to secure the future of the airport, business leaders warned yesterday.

The Chambers of Commerce of Ireland said Shannon needs to be fully prepared for the Open Skies era which begins in November and a proper road network to widen its catchment area is needed.

The chambers’ Air Transport Users’ Council (ATUC) said action needs to be taken now to enhance the airport’s opportunities for growth.

Under the Open Skies agreement, US airlines will have open access to Dublin without having to provide one-for-one flights at Shannon.

A spokesman said: “Chambers Ireland’s ATUC has called on the Government to commit to completing the Shannon-Galway motorway by 2010 to sustain Shannon’s future growth and connect the west to a host of European and North American destinations.”

While a commitment to build the road was included in the Government’s Transport 21 programme, no timelines were given for its construction.

ATUC says a deadline of 2010 would bring the road completion in line with other inter-urban routes to be completed by that year under Transport 21.

Maria Kelly, chief executive of Limerick Chamber of Commerce said yesterday: “The financial fortunes of Shannon Airport have been artificially raised in recent times by the throughput of American troops bound for Iraq. This sizeable revenue source is diminishing following a changing of the route delivery strategy adopted by US troop carriers and so Shannon needs to redouble its efforts to become a gateway of choice for Ireland.”

Ms Kelly said a roadway enabling speedy links from Shannon to Galway and ultimately north to Sligo is critical for Shannon.

“It would drive up the numbers of people and locations within an hour’s drive of Shannon.”

Signal, the Shannon workers’ lobby group, is concerned the airport will lost transatlantic business under Open Skies unless the Government fully implements the key recommendations of the Mid-West Tourism and Economic Development Plan.

Joe Buckley of Signal said the Government must fund promotion and other measures to protect US passenger numbers which now account for nearly 800,000 a year.