Paul Nicholas Gogarty
Ceist:124 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Transport the role his Department will have with regard to the possible construction of a new outer orbital motorway for Dublin. [4810/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 15 February 2005
Ceisteanna (82)
Freagraí scríofa
I assume the Deputy is referring to the concept of a Dublin outer orbital route. Both the strategic planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area 1999 and the DTO's, Platform for Change 2000, identified a possible need for a Dublin outer orbital route linking Drogheda-Navan-Naas. More recently the regional planning guidelines, RPG, for the greater Dublin area 2004 also provide for the development of such a route in the medium to longer term on the basis that these centres would be strengthened by the provision of good links between them without having to pass through the Dublin city area. A 2001 strategic study commissioned by the NRA of a Dublin outer orbital route concluded that such a route had significant merit and is feasible on engineering and environmental grounds. As a high level strategic study of the concept, the 2001 report, apart from identifying a possible corridor for an outer orbital, did not consider route options, appropriate road type and costs. Detailed consideration of these and other issues including spatial planning, land use and environmental issues and the appropriate type and class of road to be provided will be the subject of further studies.
I have asked the NRA to carry out these further studies and to consider the proposed route as part of future road infrastructure development plans taking account of the national spatial strategy, the regional planning guidelines and the planning and traffic implications of such a route for the greater Dublin region and neighbouring regions. The proposal will also be considered in the context of the ten year transport investment framework presently being prepared within my Department.