Today, the Minister for Transport travelled down to Blessington to meet with some TDs, the N81 Action Group, members of the farming community affected by the deferment yet again of the N81 upgrade and of course, residents living and commuting along the route.
Was it a PR stunt, a photographic opportunity for the Minister and elected representatives or an opportunity to give the local communities reassurance?
Whatever it was, it was neither of the above!
Above: Noel Lyons, Sec Baltinglass Forum; David Eager, Leinster IFA rep; Bernardt Rohrer, Baltinglass Forum; Andy Hamilton, local farmer; Deputy James Lawless and Cllr Gerry O'Neill, Chair N81 Action Group
After confused communications last week and a last minute change of venue just hours before the visit, about 40-50 people did turn out to meet the Minister. Some were in the mood to protest but most were there to impress upon the Minister how frustrated and badly impacted they are by the TII and Minister's deferment of the N81 upgrade.
The five Wicklow TDs were invited but only two were present today, again with the purpose of the visit cited as somewhat 'confusing'. Deputies John Brady (SF) and Pat Casey (FF) were present, as was Kildare's James Lawless.
Minister for Transport, Shane Ross arriving at today's visit with Cllr Gerry O'Neill
Heading the N81 Action Group was Cllr Gerry O'Neill with members from Blessington & District Forum and Baltinglass Forum also in attendance.
“A silly venue was decided on earlier" said Cllr O'Neill prior to the Minister's (late) arrival. "The Minister for Transport arranging a meeting on the side of the road, a notorious accident blackspot, leaves a lot to be desired. The local N81 Action Group only received notice of this meeting at 6pm on Thursday night.
He added: “The Minister had refused to meet the elected representatives of Baltinglass, Naas and South Dublin Municipal Districts – he has refused to meet with them!
“Today, I hope the Minister will speak with the likes of Andy and Ben Hamilton, Vincent, etc. Farmers find 300m of land frozen since the commencement of the N81 upgrade commenced; they can’t move forward but even worse in all this was the realisation from last week’s communication from the TII.
Father and son, Ben and Andy Hamilton who are affected by the deferment of the N81 upgrade
“Already, with €8m spent on public consultation and planning before the preferred route was agreed, the TII notified us that, as the project is now on the back boiler, when it is resumed, it will be back to starting point again! This is unbelievable!”
Deputy John Brady criticised the Minister’s handling of the event “The Minister’s handling has been disappointing since he agreed to meet again at the June meeting. A letter was sent out to five Wicklow TDs (July 25) but nothing more was decided. More pressure is needed by local TDs and councillors. We don’t know what his intentions are, but there were no further invitations issued.
Right, Patrick Rusty Byrne, Manor Kilbride with Aiden Kinsella, Carnew (SF) and Deputy John Brady (SF)
“A political decision was made to defer the N81 upgrade, and must be given political priority by the public representatives for the area…. Surely with two Government Ministers in the county, and it’s not about pulling strokes, this must be given priority.
“This was down as a project by the NTRA, it was seen as a priority with an extensive 10 year research resulting in the preferred route. I got confirmation in January that it was no longer being prioratised. We have the stats and figures, one of the dangerous roads in the state for head on and singular vehicle collisions”
Both Deputies Brady and Lawless stated the N81 upgrade needed to be prioratised, "Not only for road users but for the future growth of West Wicklow, and funding needs to be put in place. Planning applications cannot be turned down because of road issues” said Brady.
Members of the Hill and O'Neill family: Cathy, Dave, Aoife, Aimee, kate and Alannah
Deputy Lawless stated:
“I’m here because this is a wider issue than West Wicklow. Kildare has a significant interest in the project. Commuters from Ballymore Eustace, Eadestown, Rathmore and Kilteel are all swept onto the N81. It is such an important artery for these communities. It cannot be ignored yet again. The upgrade has dragged on, despite the primary concerns of motor accidents and road safety and sadly, the tragedies that have happened along the route.
“It is furthermore unfair on land owners who straddle the route, to have their lands frozen for 10 years, unable to develop, unable to sell… For all these reasons, I’m calling on the Minister to take the project seriously and to give it the funding needed” concluded Deputy Lawless.
Dave Minchin, Hempstown; Abayiomi Olusanya, Glebe; Evie Sammon, Ballymore Eustace rep Deputy Martin Heydon's office and Kevin Byrne, Oldcourt.
The Minister finally arrived and farmer Andy Hamilton spoke of his dilemma. “I live at the original meeting place for today, at the Lamb and 300m of my land is effectively frozen plus another block of land up the road when the preferred route was announced.
“I didn’t jump up and down and impede the new route as I knew many of the families who lost families members, one of a little girl and the other, the family of a young man who died from a motor cycle accident.
“Imagine with the number of accidents at the Lamb, and we are drawing fodder up and down all day with tractors and tanks! There’s a double line up towards Bretons and yet, motorists pass us out right, left and centre all day. The only drivers who give us some courtesy/space are the hauliers, the lorry drivers.
Andy continued “Ben there my son wants to build the herd and develop, we can’t borrow to build; if we build units illegally, they could be taken down again and we can’t sell…. We are in limbo land!”
David Eager, Leinster IFA rep appealed to the Minister to move out the 300m of frozen land for the Hamiltons. “They are a risk on the road to themselves and to other motorists; there should be some assistance for them and others, especially if the N81 upgrade is pushed out another decade”.
John Murphy haulier stated he had a quarry business near Brittas but with the traffic increased, their lorry movements have been reduced. “I’m dreading the return of school children in September. We have 10 trucks who used to do an average of 6-7 runs per day, now that’s down to five runs per driver. And in September, it is going to be reduced further”.
Bernardt Rohrer from Baltinglass Forum who is also a member of the N81 Action Group also alluded to the increased cyclists on the road and noted: “It is only a matter of time before a cyclist/s are knocked down. You can set the clock on a cyclist death”.
Cllr Gerry O’Neill reminded the Minister and the attendance that this part of West Wicklow supplied sand and gravel, granite and water to the greater Dublin and Leinster region. And yet West Wicklow can not achieve funding for a major road which crosses through 4 counties: Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Carlow.
Patrick Rusty Byrne said he’d love to bring the Minister on a tour and point out the junctions and stretches of road where fatalities occurred. “I can show you where a mother of four was killed and later her uncle killed just around the corner”. Mr Byrne stated he had family members using the road on a daily basis and is concerned for their safety.
Aoifanna Phibbs struck a chord with most when she added she was with two motorists when they sadly breathed their last after having fatal accidents at Monaspick and Hempstown. “I witnessed their last breaths and it has stayed with me”.
Her father Seamus says to date, he has pulled 7 people out of cars who experienced accidents near Hempstown and along the N81. Some died, he noted and they are experiences he can’t ever forget.
But if the attendance were expecting some reassurances or hope from Minister Ross, they were disappointed:
“I recognise the N81 issues and this is the second time this summer I have met with groups on this issue. There are other groups across the country with the same issue. I hear what you’re saying re farming, hauliers, and the safety issues. There is a national plan in operation to roll out a national road plan and it’s not by widening roads on micro individual cases, public transport has to be improved. And it’s all about cost, the N81 will cost €271m, and it’s simply not there at the moment”.
The Minister alluded to the number of collisions being ‘average’. He must have missed certain passages of the TII report which clearly states that stretches of road on the N81 are above the national average for head on collisions!
Deputy Pat Casey (FF) left addresses the attendance today in Blessington
Deputy Pat Casey (FF) noted they had a previous issue on the East side of Wicklow years ago where there was no money to update the N11.
“The Government released the funding for CPOs along the preferred route to proceed before final funding was allocated. To have the N81 on hold for another 10 years is unbearable for landowners. These lands might not even be included in the next feasibility study for the N81 upgrade!”
Cllr O'Neill thanked the Gardaí for their co operation and support. "Today, I hope the Minister heard what Andy and Ben Hamilton had to say. And that he will review the issue of road safety. The TII's communication that basically with the N81 upgrade deferred, it will be back to the starting plans again is shocking, and the last nine year's work will be null and void".
Locals at least got to state their case to Minister Ross but he certainly wasn't dishing out platitudes or promises of hope.
The N81 upgrade remains on the back boiler - or in the back garden but it certainly isn't progressing any higher on the Minister's radar!
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