Madam, - Contrary to the National Roads Authority's condescending press advertisement, there has been very little measured debate about the M3. Culturally it is, on a national and international level, shortsighted and regrettable. In terms of local cost-benefit, national traffic management, and regional economic development, it is insane.
Apart from safety, it appears to have one advantage in that it will be quicker to drive from Dublin to Navan and Kells. In the opposite direction, however, more traffic will be funnelled towards the M50, having an adverse effect on journey times not only along the route but also, through a knock-on effect, on every road which feeds into the M50. Can this really be the intention?
If a motorway was built from Portlaoise to Monaghan, with a link to the M1, nearly all non-Dublin traffic would be kept away from the M50.
This would vastly improve the traffic situation and quality of life for everyone living or working in the zone east of such a road. Access to Dublin from all areas, including Navan and Kells, would be improved simply by reason of reduced traffic volumes. Interregional access would be transformed.
There would be a serious economic boost for many regional towns. That would be good not only for those towns but also for Dublin, easing the pressure on commuting and property prices. I fear that the M3 (and M2) would bring in its wake huge pressure for inappropriate rezoning, adding to the chaos in the Dublin region and sucking development away from other areas.
In Ireland, development patterns are not strategically planned but are haphazardly dictated by private and local electoral interests. This is the principal underlying cause of problems with traffic, urban sprawl and service delivery, in Meath and elsewhere.
Of course this is a nettle which will never be grasped by a Fianna Fáil administration, not even one with a Teflon-coated Taoiseach, but it is amazing that An Bord Pleanála, with its national remit, could sanction such a scheme as the M3. - Yours, etc.,
CHARLES BAGWELL, Straffan, Co Kildare.
Madam, - The estimated cost of the full-page advert by the National Roads Authority in Sunday, national and regional papers is roughly €120,000, plus costs to designers, spin-doctors etc.
Is it not a scandal and disgrace that this money has been wasted in such a way when there are people lying on trolleys in Dublin hospitals? How much more of our money are they willing to waste before they admit that routing the M3 toll-road through the Tara Skryne valley was wrong? They make points in their advert that the protesters have no objection to. . .we all know a new road is needed.
In fact, a new bypass would already be in place around Dunshaughlin by now and that truck crash last week need never have happened. Why isn't the new road in place? It was approved in 1999 and should have been started immediately.
Then it was linked to the single-contract toll-road, and we are still waiting in traffic-jams.
Politicians are trying to blame road deaths on the protesters,when their own mismanagement for many years is the real culprit. - Yours, etc.,
STEPHEN HOBBS, Ethelstown, Kells, Co Meath.