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THERE is growing unease over the proposals to build two super highways through Kilkenny. Particularly concerned is the farming community who foresee many fine agricultural holdings being ripped apart by two of the biggest construction projects ever undertaken in the South East of Ireland.
But the farmers are not alone in their concerns. Serious question marks over the projects are being raised by other groups, especially worried and anxious environmentalists.
Recently, when plans for the proposed routes of the Waterford/Dublin highway and the Cullahill to Cashel dual carriageway were put on public display, hundreds of farmers turned up to study the proposals. And they did little to hide their anger.
Public meetings are now being arranged to debate the pros and cons of the planned super highways. And this is good. Developments that could have such far-reaching consequences for so many, need to be thoroughly ventilated - and in a calm and reasoned manner with all sides putting their cards on the table.
In theory, the proposed roads seem like an eminently good idea - splendid new highways that will ease traffic congestion and get traffic from A to B with greater efficiency than we have ever known in this little country of ours.
But at what cost? A fairly good stab can be made at the financial cost. However, what will be human cost be? What will the effects be on rural families who will see the farms that they have worked for generations divided by a roadway that in places will be as wide as 400 metres?
What will the effects be on established rural communities when many of the small bye-roads that have served them so well for so long, will now be roads to nowhere as they will have little egress to the super highway?
Another major question that needs to be answered is the wisdom of spending billions of pounds on roadways when an EU campaign to discourage people from using their cars is hardly too far down the road - if you'll pardon the pun. A green tax on petrol and diesel is inevitable considering the increasing damage to the environment and the eco-systems caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
Would it not be more sensible to improve the existing main arteries throughout the country and concentrate our resources on providing realistic systems of public transport that would encourage people to leave their cars at home? We have been waiting for decades for the upgrading of the Kilkenny/Waterford road which is hopelessly
inadequate.
Ireland is not a big country. There are few centres of large population requiring major highways to move people about. To put the matter into perspective, there are more people in the Greater Manchester area than in the entire Republic.
Another question that also needs to be addressed is what the ongoing cost of maintaining the new roads will be if they go ahead. And it would be well to remember that once the roads are constructed they cannot be de-constructed.
There are many issues that need to be fully aired and hopefully the debates now being arranged will be conducted in a reasoned and constructive manner. And as always, the columns of the Kilkenny People will be available to people who wish to make their feelings known.
Copyright Kilkenny People 2001
Thursday, June 07, 2001
On line Edition
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