The Central Access Scheme for Kilkenny city has been shaved down to a bridge and a simple urban street by An Bord Pleanala in its recent decision to pass a proposed plan for the city with many additional conditions.
The new plan which includes a low grade bridge has little similarity to that which was originally proposed by Kilkenny Borough Council, however the members and many of the heritage and environment agencies are satisfied that it addresses their initial concerns about an inner relief road and a high level bridge.
Members of Kilkenny County Council discussed the issue this week and county manager Joe Crockett assured the members that although the plan was expensive it would come to pass.
He also agreed with the members that the completion of the ring road was integral to traffic relief for Kilkenny city.
“The council’s proposals were always that the CAS plus the ring road completion was the only model that gives relief and An Bord Pleanala agreed with the linking of the timing of the bridge construction with the progress of the ring road. We are only at concept stage now for the design of the bridge and there is, as of yet, no design work done. We need to look at a new concept that will comply with the Bord’s proposals. We will need to reconvene the design team and there is also the question of cost. The original plan was at a cost of €45 million and we had approval from the Department of Transport to pay 70 per cent and therefore the plan was quite doable. However, now we need to look at the timescale and chronology, get the design team together, and talk to the stakeholders. We will then bring a proposal back to the members which we can then bring to the Bord. The proposal will include a plan for the completion of the ring road and the bridge,” he said.
Mr Crockett added that he hoped that the funding for the project would become available in two years.
Cllr Sean O’ hArgain said that he was concerned about the implications of the delay to phases 2/3 of the project which include traffic management in the Stephen St, Dominic St, and Kennyswell Rd areas of the city.
“It is unacceptable that bylaws governing traffic on this street are not being enforced and we should ask the Gardai to implement the laws outside their own premises.”
Mayor, Malcolm Noonan, added that the Bord was not giving a time- scale for the prioritisation of phase 2/3 with a link road to the ring road. He added that he believes the bridge is excessive.
Cllr Betty Manning said that the completion of the ring road between the Castlecomer road and the Freshford road was a priority and she said it has taken 30 years to get to the point that we have reached with the ring road today. She added the remaining piece should take a fraction of that time.
