With serious doubts surrounding the future of the Gort–Tuam Motorway, a call has been made to progress the Claregalway bypass immediately.
It has been stated that the Claregalway bypass should take on a new urgency when there were financial difficulties concerning the M17/M18 motorway being built.
Galway West TD Noel Grealish said that he had received any denials from either the National Roads Authority or Government ministers that there were problems with the €500 million project.
It was reported in The Connacht Tribune that the financial backers of preferred consortium to build the motorway were apprehensive about investing into a country whose economy was in tatters.
“I have been speaking to a lot of people who are connected to this huge project over the past week and none of them can deny that there are grave doubts about the motorway going ahead.
“It was one project I thought would some on stream but now I am not so sure and now it is time for the Claregalway bypass to return to the top of the agenda”, Deputy Grealish said.
The Carnmore based Dáil Deputy was promised that an inner relief road would be provided in Claregalway in return for his support of the Governmen.
But in recent weeks Deputy Grealish has withdrawn his support for the Government over the recent health cuts and believes that the onus of responsibility for the Claregalway bypass falls into “Frank Fahey’s lap”.
“For years Deputy Fahey has been vehimently opposed to a Claregalway bypass and has done everything in his power to prevent it from going ahead.
“But with doubts hanging over the Gort–Tuam Motorway, it is very much back on the agenda and it is now time for Deputy Fahey to take the baton from me and deliver the bypass for the village”, Deputy Grealish said.
A recommendation from Galway County Council for the provision of the inner relief road for Claregalway has been submitted to the Department of Transport and part of an environmental impact statement has been completed.
Recently, an advertisement was placed for the appointment of a consultant for complete the EIS and move the process forward towards the compulsory acquisition of the land required for the relief road.
Deputy Grealish said that around €100,000 has been earmarked to start the CPO process but he was now demanding that the funding for the construction of the road, believed to be in the region of €15 million, should be allocated while the uncertainty about the motorway existed.
