*Photo Attached: Kieran O’Donnell TD pictured at the M20
Press Statement
From: Kieran O’Donnell TD
Chair of Transport & Communications Oireachtas Committee
O’Donnell welcomes TII decision to hold a Second public consultation on M20 Routes
- This secures requests made to TII CEO Mr. Peter Walsh by Deputy O’Donnell and as part of his submission to TII/M20 Design Office
- Deputy O’Donnell’s submission to TII/M20 Design Office in January stated that he believed the route selection was ‘incomplete and deficient in terms of modelling on travel times, safety and costs and further consultation was needed once this modelling was complete, which is now happening in September
Limerick Fine Gael TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Kieran O’Donnell has welcomed the direct confirmation he has received from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) (See Note to Editor – 1 below) and its CEO, Peter Walsh that TII/M20 Design office/Limerick City & County Council are to hold a second phase of public consultation on the M20 Limerick-Cork Motorway project in September. This commitment comes on foot of a submission request last January by Deputy O’Donnell (See Note to Editor- 2 below), where he questioned the lack of modelling on the route options to date and his follow-up questioning of the TII CEO at the Oireachtas Transport Committee on Tuesday 2nd February and Tuesday April 27th.
M20 Limerick-Cork Motorway
“I welcome the direct confirmation I have received from TII and its CEO, Mr. Peter Walsh that TII/M20 Design office are to hold a second phase of public consultation on the M20 Limerick-Cork Motorway project in September. This commitment comes on foot of my request last January and my follow-up questioning of Mr. Walsh at the Oireachtas Transport Committee on Tuesday 2nd February and Tuesday April 27th.
“After the first public consultation on M20 routes, in my submission to TII/M20 Design Office in January last I stated that I believed route selection was ‘incomplete and deficient in terms of modelling on travel times, safety and costs and further consultation was needed once this modelling was complete.
“Having studied in depth the proposed routes as outlined under the first public consultation, I was shocked to find that the route options were put out to public consultation prior to any proper modelling on travel times, safety and costs being completed, causing serious confusion. Therefore, this confirmation of a further second public consultation is to take place after proper modelling has been carried out on the route options is to be welcomed.
“Many of the 8 road and 3 rail route options published (see Note to Editor – 2 below) under the first public consultation make no sense whatsoever when measured on cost, travel and safety modelling criteria grounds.
“Take for example where Irish Rail already propose improved travel times from Cork to Limerick, by installing a second rail track from Limerick Junction to Limerick City on existing land they own which will therefore not involve any private landowners. This was confirmed by Irish Rail CEO Jim Meade at an online Zoom public meeting I held on 10th December to discuss M20 proposals. Furthermore, this rail upgrade would be complementary to road provision. The M20 project design office have confirmed to me the road and rail options are not mutually exclusive.
“Yet, two other much more costly rail routes (Bruree to Killonan Junction and Charleville to Patrickswell) were also included which instead are going through private property and homes. Apart from the major concerns caused here for residents on these routes, neither of these routes I believe will stand up to modelling against the upgrade of the existing Limerick Junction to Limerick rail route.
“TII have confirmed to me that in relation to this second public consultation public display, in September;
- Provide information to the public outlining the process involved in the development of the options, the constraints identified, the feedback from the public consultation process to date, and the comparative appraisal undertaken to identify the preferred transport solution to improve connectivity between Cork and Limerick.
- Confirm that the shortlisted options are comparatively appraised under the following criteria:
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- Economy (including forecast travel times and benefit to cost ratios);
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- Safety;
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- Environment
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- Accessibility & Social Inclusion;
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- Integration; and
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- Physical Activity.
- Include summary information on how the options comparatively performed in respect of the above appraisal criteria and outline the relative advantages of the preferred option.
- Information will be available on the project website www.corklimerick.ie and for inspection in a number of public buildings in Cork and Limerick (subject to relevant Covid-19 restrictions at the time).
- On completion of this public consultation, it is envisaged that any consultation after this will be on the preferred route with affected landowners, prior to application of the scheme to An Bord Pleanala
- Comprehensive information in relation to the development of this project is available from Limerick County Council N/M20 Project Office and on the project website, corklimerick.ie
“Whilst the M20 is important with great benefits to the region, equally I am fully aware that many farmers, landowners, households and town are greatly impacted by the proposal draft road & rail routes and their genuine concerns must be addressed in this second public consultation process to ensure the correct choice of routes are arrived at.
ENDS.
Note to Editor:
- Correspondence OF Friday 7th May provided from TII to Oireachtas Transport Committee on M20 CORK TO LIMERICK UPDATE – on foot of questioning from Chair of Committee, Kieran O’Donnell TD to TII CEO, Peter Walsh on Tuesday 2nd February and Tuesday April 27th
- N/M20 Cork to Limerick Scheme Public Consultation – Submission from Kieran O’Donnell TD, Limerick City Constituency
From: Kieran O’Donnell
Sent: Thursday 21 January 2021 12:34
To: info@corklimerick.ie
Cc: jhoward@midwestroads.ie
Subject: “N/M20 Cork to Limerick Scheme Public Consultation” – Submission from Kieran O’Donnell TD, Limerick City Constituency
Subject: “N/M20 Cork to Limerick Scheme Public Consultation” – Submission from Kieran O’Donnell TD, Limerick City Constituency
To: N/M20 Project Office/TII
From: Kieran O’Donnell TD, Limerick City Constituency
Summary;
- I regard this public consultation as seriously incomplete and deficient public process with routes options being published prior to any proper modelling on travel times, safety and costs on these options
- I am requesting that further meaningful public consultation take place on routes options by TII/M20 project office after proper modelling has been carried out
I have campaigned strongly over the years for the M20 because I believe connecting Ireland’s 2nd and 3rd largest cities by motorway will bring vital synergies for both Limerick and Cork and indeed Ireland. Included as part of the National Development plan 2018-2027, the M20 has been identified as a major enabler for balanced regional development. However, an incomplete and thereby deficient process should not be rushed – we must get this right.
Having studied the proposed routes options in depth as set out in the public consultation document (See Note below),I was shocked to find that the route options were put out to public consultation prior to any proper modelling on travel times, safety and costs being completed, which makes this public consultation on the M20 routes options seriously incomplete and thereby a deficient process. Furthermore, this has given rise to major confusion around the M20 routes options process which must be addressed.
I am of the firm view that many of the 8 road and 3 rail route options published (see Note below) make no sense whatsoever when measured on cost, travel and safety modelling criteria grounds. This reinforces my opinion that the current phase of public consultation is seriously incomplete and thereby deficient and must be revisited by TII and the M20 project office.
I am now calling on the TII and M20 project office to immediately go back to the drawing board and engage in a meaningful further public consultation after proper modelling has been carried out on route options.
Take for example (see Note below: Rail route RS1 per consultation document), where Irish Rail already propose that improved travel times from Cork to Limerick can be achieved by installing a second rail track from Limerick Junction to Limerick City on existing land they own which will therefore not involve any private landowners. This was confirmed by Irish Rail CEO Jim Meade at an online Zoom public meeting I held on 10th December to discuss these M20 route options proposals. Furthermore, this rail upgrade would be complementary to road provision. The M20 project office have confirmed to me the road and rail options are not mutually exclusive.
Yet, two other much more costly rail routes (see Note below: RS2a and RS2b per consultation document) are also included as options which instead are going through private property and homes. Apart from the major concerns caused here for residents on these routes, neither of these routes I believe would stand up to modelling against the upgrade of the existing Limerick Junction to Limerick City rail route.
Over 200 people attended the online public Zoom meeting I held on Thursday 10th December to discuss the proposed M20 routes options, highlighting interest in this project, but, also the serious concerns of landowners, farmers, households and towns located along the proposed routes. The M20 project office made a presentation on the route options at this Zoom public meeting and heard the views of attendees.
Whilst the M20 is important with great benefits, equally I am fully aware that many farmers, landowners, households and towns are greatly impacted by the proposed draft road and rail routes options. Their genuine concerns must be addressed as part of further public consultations processes to arrive at the correct choices.
You might kindly acknowledge receipt of this submission.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Kieran O’ Donnell T.D.
086-8430202
NOTE: M20 road & Rail options:
Parts 1& 2; Road-Based Options; – Rail-Based Options:
