Bypass rejection ‘blow to Kerry’

A Bord Pleanála decision to reject a proposed bypass of Adare, Co Limerick, will add to Kerry’s sense of peripherality, it has been claimed.

Business and tourism interests in Kerry have been seeking improved access to the county for decades and Adare is on the busiest route into the county, from Limerick, Shannon Airport and Dublin.

Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism president Mike Buckley said the decision was very disappointing.

“There’s been a massive improvement in the road from Dublin to Adare but people are losing a half-hour or 40 minutes on their journey time with hold-ups when they come to Adare,” he said.

“A bypass in Adare would make the journey to Kerry relatively seamless, especially now that Castleisland is bypassed. Road access must be improved, particularly when there’s a limited number of flights into Kerry Airport.”

He said it was also becoming more difficult to attract international conferences to Kerry because of inadequate road access.

Mr Buckley, who also runs a coach tour business, felt Adare — which was often overcrowded with tourists — would also benefit from a bypass.

Kerry North/West Limerick TD Martin Ferris described Adare as a “massive bottleneck” for traffic travelling to and from Kerry and west Limerick.

“Anyone travelling from Dublin to Kerry will tell you that it is great until you reach Adarem where you are often met with extremely long and frustrating tailbacks,” he said.

“This decision represents a blow to Kerry and west Limerick.”