€250m transport plan for midwest

A NEW economic blueprint for the midwest is to outline the need for €250 million to be spent on new transport initiatives in the region, but no spend on any “big ticket” items.

International civil engineering consultancy Mott MacDonald Pettit is preparing the long-term framework for guiding residential, commercial and industrial development in the region.

Anticipated to heavily influence the region’s transportation infrastructure needs over the next 30 years, the midwest area strategic plan is also expected to feed into the 2010-2022 regional planning guidelines for the midwest region.

The draft plan is not expected to be published until later this year, but in a document prepared by Mott MacDonald Pettit for the Midwest Regional Authority, the consultants state the plan will contain no new “big ticket” items in transport, but will outline the need for a €250 million investment on transport outside the road network.

The document states the plan will also set out the need for the completion of the Atlantic Corridor – the latest €600 million 57km phase of the scheme from Gort to Tuam is on hold due to funding problems.

The route was due to begin in the first quarter of this year on a public-private partnership basis.

According to the document, the new plan will also seek a comprehensive review of the future rail corridors under the long-term requirement to implement high-speed rail connections between Ireland’s cities.

The major planning, land use and transportation strategy for Clare, Limerick city and county and north Tipperary is also calling for the publication of a national aviation policy, outlining the national role of Shannon airport.

The plan aims to provide for a revision of the public transport system in the midwest and subsequent investment to achieve a more sustainable, accessible and competitive region.

It also outlines the need to develop a long-term strategic business plan for both Shannon airport and the Shannon estuary.

The document states the immediate focus of the plan will be to promote Limerick city as the economic driver of the region, with a focus on the regeneration of the city’s central area.

The plan will also seek to develop Ennis and Shannon as complementary settlements, pending a better balance of employment and population levels between the two towns.

Director of the regional authority, Liam Conneally, has stated that the strategy will provide the midwest authorities with evidence-based cases to justify undertaking large-scale planning and transportation projects.