| The
following report on the March 13th. meeting was published in the
Nationalist and South Tipp Today newspapers.
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The Argus (Appropriate Roads
Group) met in The Galtee Inn on Wednesday, March 13th. The aim
of this group is that a wide 2-lane roadway be built between
Cahir and Clonmel, and not a dual carriageway as currently
mooted.
Joe Rea of the N8 action group addressed the meeting and briefed
us of their progress so far. He felt that it is very unlikely
that a motorway from Mitchelstown to Cashel will ever be built,
as the traffic volumes do not justify it, and the cost
(financial, social and environmental) is too high.
He also informed us that the consulting engineers (who
recommended a motorway) are to be paid 4% commission on any road
which is built, and that they therefore have a vested interest
in recommending the largest roads
possible, regardless of whether they are justified or not.
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We then discussed the
proposed roadway between Rathkeevin (Barne Lodge) and Cahir. It
is apparent that this roadway is now being put on the long
finger due to a lack of government funds. The group expressed
its unhappiness with the fact that because a dual carriageway is
being planned for parallel to
the existing roadway, little is to be done to improve the
current Cahir to Clonmel road. Councillor Mattie McGrath
confirmed that only a small section of this roadway is due for
any attention in 2002, and this will merely be re-surfacing
work. Members of the group wondered how the government proposes
to find money to build a new dual carriageway when they cannot
even maintain the current roadway in a decent condition. We
closed the meeting with a consensus that we will lobby to have a
wide 2-lane roadway (such as between Cahir and Mitchelstown)
built between Rathkeevin and Cahir as soon as possible, as the
current roadway is in poor condition and dangerous.
Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 27th, at 8pm
in The Galtee Inn, Cahir. All interested in this topic are
welcome to attend.
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