This week you can’t pick up a paper or turn on the radio for talk of the ‘National Development Plan’. But what is it, only an old plan dusted off; the writing down of notions; a load of hot air. If the government think they can fool us with such a blatant pre-election gimmick…well…
What’s in this plan then? The construction of motorways and dual carriageways between Dublin and Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and the border. We heard this one before, and already paid for it with the last €34bn development plan. We paid for it and got…not a whole lot of road, but a boatload of stressed out drivers. €34bn well spent there, gimps.
There’s also talk of hubs and gateways, and of the western rail corridor. Talk. But we’ve had talk of these for a while now. Action? Sweet F.A.
If the government were serious about developing a counterpoint to Dublin’s continuing colonisation of the entire east coast and some parts of the midlands then it would not just be building a load of motorways leading to Dublin. It would also be building an actual road between Cork and Sligo. I say a ‘road’ because the cow-trail between Cork and limerick and Gort and Galway doesn’t count as one.
Irelands second, third and fourth largest cities lie on the west coast. That they aren’t even linked together by rail or decent roads is lamentable. These three centres of population linked by a respectable transport system would provide a realistic balance to growth on the east, and also help provide those in the west with a good quality of life.
I can never understand how the west allows itself to be so neglected. Galway and Limericks traffic problems are beyond belief. Each city has three bridges crossing the major rivers that divide them. Three bridges! Give us a break.
As for Cork – Cork must have the worst political representation in the country. The largest county and second largest city has a new airport that has lost 65 routes in recent times due to expensive landing charges and a debt that hangs in the air like last months stale cheese. What mention of this in the National Development Plan? No mention until after the election. Looks like government policy is to continue overcrowding Dublin airport, and to saddle Cork with a debt that will mean it’s sparkly new airport will remain empty.
Dublin’s railway stations were renovated to European standards over the past 5 years. Galway’s station is to be revamped. But plans for Kent station in Cork have been shelved indefinitely and instead the station will get a lick of paint.
There is a plan to link Galway to Limerick road of motorway standard, but the road between Limerick and Cork is to be two plus one – a sham. And we all know these roads will be the last to be built, if they are ever built at all. Why not construct a rail line beside a motorway all the way from Cork to Galway? Rail and road, side by side. If the representatives of the west could only get their act together and unite everyone from Cork to Donegal would benefit. And the east would benefit too – from less traffic congestion and a better quality of life.
There is no joined up thinking in this latest NDP. It is simply a pre-election gimmick. And while all roads lead to Dublin the west lies in slumber.
The west asleep, the west asleep.
