Cowen opens missing link in Dublin to Cork motorway

TWO cities separated by a long history of friendly rivalry have just got that bit closer.

The journey time between Dublin and Cork has been reduced by up to 45 minutes at peak time following yesterday’s opening of the new M7/M8 motorway.

It is estimated that motorists will now be able to cover the distance between the Red Cow in Dublin and the Dunkettle roundabout in Cork in two hours.

The same journey could have taken at least six hours during peak times just 30 years ago when motorists travelling the route hadto navigate numerous congested towns including Glanmire, Mitchelstown, Portlaoise and Naas.

The opening of the final stretch of motorway between the two cities will also bring an end to the last bottleneck at Abbeyleix. Other towns which will no longer suffer heavy traffic as a result of being by-passed by the new motorway include Durrow, Cullahill on the old N8 and Mountrath, Castletown and Borris-in-Ossory on the old N7.

More than 300 people gathered near Clonkeen, Co Laois, for the official opening by Taoiseach Brian Cowen of the new 41km motorway which cost €491m.

Mr Cowen recalled how there were a lot of sceptics who believed the completion of the inter-urban motorway network by 2010 was “something of a pipe-dream” given the state’s past history on procuring major infrastructure projects.

He paid tribute to the National Roads Authority for bringing in the new motorway four months ahead of deadline and on budget and for being on target to achieve the strategic objective of finishing the motorway network by the end of the year with the completion of links between the capital and Limerick and Waterford as well as the new M3 Dublin-Kells motorway.

“The establishment of a national motorway system in this country is a major contributor in a lasting way to improving the competitiveness of our economy and also assuring the better prospect of more balanced regional development,” said Mr Cowen.

The Taoiseach said it was important to keep in mind during hard economic times that there were still many positive things happening in Ireland like yesterday’s event.

Mr Cowen said he was delighted at the upbeat reaction of local communities whose towns would now be bypassed by the new road who welcomed the opportunity for change.

Mr Cowen also predicted that the new motorway would contribute to the steady decline in road fatalities over recent years.

NRA chairman Peter Malone said many wise and intelligent people would agree with the recent assessment by Davy Stockbrokers that the greatest legacy of the Celtic Tiger was the inter-urban motorway network.

However, Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd criticised the absence of service areas on the new road.

Although Mr O’Dowd welcomed the opening of the key piece of road infrastructure, he expressed concern that no provision had been made for service stations and rest areas on a 253km stretch of motorway.

“Driver fatigue is a genuine road safety concern. One in five crashes on Irish roads are believed to be linked by driver fatigue,” said the Fine Gael TD.

Motorists driving cars will have to pay a toll of €1.80 to use the new stretch of motorway.

The new toll plaza will provide 50 new jobs for staff who were recruited from the local area. Tolls from the new motorway are expected to generate daily revenue in excess of €30,000.

Drivers wishing to avoid the new toll will have to divert off the M8 at junction 3 (Cullahill) when travelling from the south and from junction 17 (Portlaoise) on the M7 when travelling from Dublin by using the old N8 Dublin-Cork road.