O’ROURKE HITS OUT AT INACTION ON KILMOON CROSS DELAYS

Sinn Féin TD, Darren O’Rourke, says it’s not good enough for the Minister, the Department and Meath County Council to simply do nothing about the daily traffic chaos at Kilmoon Cross on the N2.

The Meath East TD was speaking after a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport where Peter Walsh, CEO of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) confirmed that there was no funding to progress the project and no alternative proposal in place or even planned.

He told Meath Live,”The daily traffic congestion on the N2 at Kilmoon Cross is a huge frustration for commuters. Meath County Council have advanced proposals to resolve the issue but the project is not funded. Mr Walsh. CEO TII, confirmed that to met when he said, “the Allocations for 2024 are conditioned, in accordance with Section 24 of the Roads Act, to be used to progress projects in a list of projects, and N2 Rath Roundabout to Kilmoon Cross is not one of those projects”. This is hugely frustrating.

“To make matters worse, however, neither the Minister, the Department nor Meath County Council have anything to say on the matter.

“Meath County Council have presented their proposed solution but it’s not being funded. We know that Minister Ryan and the Department of Transport are strongly opposed to new roads infrastructure, but it’s not enough to simply say or do nothing.

“I have called on Minister Ryan in the past, and I am doing so again now, to engage with Meath County Council to find a way forward.

“Is there anything that can be done in the existing alignment, for example? With changes to road layout and signalling? Minister Ryan and the Department point to the need for greater use of public transport to reduce car traffic, but where are the additional services, for example? Where is the plan? There’s none. There needs to be a comprehensive exploration of all alternatives.

“At Committee, Mr. Walsh indicated that he would work with the NTA and others if an alternative proposal was presented. This is welcome.

“Minister Ryan, the Department and Meath County Council should prepare such a proposal as a matter of priority.”