Private investors area bridge too far
Senior local politicians have waded in with statements such as “look to the future, not the past”, more or less saying send in the bulldozers.
The trouble with that ill-thought-out approach is that it would destroy a significant part of our Viking heritage which, until recently, had lain undiscovered for centuries.
Adding insult to injury, the reason given for this is that private investors will not wait around forever to finance a new bridge.
However, judging by the huge success of the East and West Link bridges in Dublin - huge success for the operators and owners, that is - I doubt if there will ever be a problem with financing a private bridge when the taxpayer foots the bill for miles of new roadway leading to and from the crossing. I cannot understand why a private company should be handed such a lucrative, fail-safe way of making money. The people of the south-east deserve to hear more public debate about this.
I would much prefer to pay once through my taxes for the combined bridge and road project rather than pay every time I cross the bridge for life. Having waited this long for a second bridge, I would rather wait a bit longer and get everything right rather than rush in and damage a historical site in order to facilitate private investors.
Patrick J Fitzgerald
Leperstown
Dunmore East
Co Waterford
