Cork to Limerick 'transport solution' to be unveiled within weeks

Cork Chamber chief executive Conor Healy and Limerick Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan on the Charleville to Limerick Road to highlight business support for the N/M20 last year. Picture: Gerard McCarthy 

The preferred ‘integrated transport solution’ to link Cork and Limerick cities is due to be unveiled before the end of the month.

However, the N/M20 project team remains quiet on whether the long-awaited project, which has been on ice for almost a decade and could cost at least €1bn, will include the construction of motorway along the entire 100km distance.

Project spokesman Jari Howard said that level of detail will not be unveiled for public consultation until March 30 but he confirmed that the preferred solution does include a mix of transport modes.

“Following consideration of the public feedback and detailed appraisal, a preferred transport solution has been identified that includes active travel infrastructure for walking and cycling, improvements to public transport, new and improved safe road infrastructure and environmental integration for communities along the N20 transport corridor between Cork and Limerick,” the project team said in a statement.

The unveiling of the preferred transport route follows the consideration of public feedback on a consultation process which took place in late 2020 and early 2021 on a number of road-based and rail-based options which it was deemed could feasibly be delivered within a 500m corridor between the two cities.

The project team has now invited public representatives to attend a briefing on March 30 at which the preferred option will be launched for further public consultation.

The solution, which is expected to include bypasses of several towns, will narrow the route corridor down to a more defined route, which will be subject to further detailed design over the coming months as the scheme advances towards business appraisal, and later government signoff.

The detail of the preferred solution and the various maps showing what will be delivered where along the route corridor will be made available for public consultation through a virtual display room.

The documents will also be available in the N/M20 Project Office in Lissanalta House in Dooradoyle, and in a number of council public offices and public libraries between Cork and Limerick.

Property owners along the preferred route will be notified by post and invited to consult with the project team, either in person in Limerick or Mallow, or by online or telephone meetings during the next phase of the project.

The N/M20 project started life as a motorway-only project and was submitted to Bord Pleanála in 2010 for statutory planning approval.

An oral hearing was held that year but it was withdrawn before the board issued a determination, and the entire project was shelved the following year due to the economic crash.

Since then, the various assessment criteria for planning and developing transport schemes have changed along with changes in European and national policy, environmental legislation, economic appraisal and road-infrastructure design requirements.

As the scheme was being reassessed, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan asked that public transport be considered as part of the design process.

The project was included last year as a key part of the national development plan.