Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 3

Written Answers - Road Network.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

129 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the locations where the N2 road begins and ends, in view of the fact that the official green sign posts indicate Derry at every point along the route and yet this does not seem to be the point given by the National Roads Authority when providing the Minister with the road use figures used to justify the needs assessment in the national development roads programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12656/01]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

132 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the annual daily Dublin to Derry traffic count would be 16,000 if Derry was used as the point of terminus on the N2 as indicated on the sign posts and if the figure would, therefore, be at least on a par, if not higher than the equivalent annual daily traffic count for Dublin to Galway, or Limerick, or Cork, or Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the implications of this. [12663/01]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 132 together.

The description of the N2 is set out in the Roads Act, 1993 (Declaration of National Roads) Order, 1994 (S.I. No. 209 of 1994): the route extends from Dublin to the Border at Moy Bridge, County Monaghan.

The approach adopted to terminal destinations on national routes including the N2 in so far as road signage is concerned has been set out in the reply to Question No. 393 of 1 May 2001.

It is assumed that the question refers to the methodology of the National Road Needs Study, NRA, 1998, in estimating future traffic volumes on national routes and assessing appropriate road types for the purposes of the national road improvement programme. Detailed information on this matter may appropriately be sought from the National Roads Authority. In summary, however, the assessments of the national road needs study relate in all cases to sections of national road routes rather than to the overall route and are also confined to road lengths comprehended within the formal descriptions of the national road network as set out in orders under the Roads Act, 1993.