This article is from page 12 of the 2006-03-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
OBJECTORS to the chosen site for a new bridge to span the River Shannon are to hold a public meeting to rally support for their stance.
John Young, chairman of the objectors group, recently wrote to all of those directly affected by the decision on the route of the bridge, inviting them to a meeting to discuss the issue.
With a turnout at a meeting last week of more than 60 local people, Mr Young said the group was “heartened by the level of interest and support. We are now planning to have a further, public meeting to let people know what is happening and to formulate a strategy of opposition.”
He stressed that the people involved with his group were “not anti having a new bridge across the Shannon. We are very pro having a bridge. But this is not the right location for it.”
The decision to site the new bridge at the historic Clarisford Palace in Killaloe and Roulagh Cross on the Ballina side was announced a few weeks ago. A second crossing, to be completed at a later date, is expected to be located just below O’Briensbridge.
The project will involve the demolition of at least one house and will cut across land close to St Anne’s Secondary School.
The route was decided on after the completion of a constraints study report on eight different locations by consultants, RPS MCOS.
Locals angered by the choice of route say it will be a danger to the heritage of the town and to 400 students who attend St Anne’s. They fear it will bring huge volumes of heavy traffic into the town. The objectors say that in routing the bridge in front of Clarisford, the council proposes going through land, which has been “consistently protected by an Bord Pleanála because of the heritage importance of the house”.
The group also believe that “not enough consideration has been given to the rate at which Killaloe is expanding and the extra amount of traffic that this will generate,” said Mr Young.
Local councillors from Clare, Tipperary and Limerick attended the meeting of affected residents in May’s Bar last week.
The next meeting will be an open, public one and will be held on Monday, March 20, at 8pm in the Kincora Hall Hotel in Killaloe. Anyone interested in the issue is welcome to attend, the chairman said.