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National Road Needs Study
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Politicians reject NRA 20 year plan
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Introduction
The National Road Needs Study was published by the National Roads
Authority in July 1998.
The reputed cost of producing the report was two million
pounds.
Some key sections from the National Road Needs Study are summarised
below, exact quotations being used as much as possible.
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Objectives
Among the objectives of the NRA National Road Needs Study are :
- "Determine the appropriate type of roadway for each segment
of the network in order to cater for projected traffic flows over
the twenty period 2000 - 2019.
- Advise National Road Needs as a basis on which policy decisions
for the development of the network can be made."
(Section 1.1, page 1)
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Sustainable Development
"The goal of sustainable development implies setting limits on
the external effects of the transport system, therefore, in relation
to air pollution, energy consumption, noise nuisance, the numbers of
accidents, the impact on wildlife and the countryside, the erosion of
the quality of urban life and the consumption of space at levels
acceptable for present and future generations.
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Current roads policy in
Ireland, therefore aims at an overall balance, focuses on key
economic corridors, supports an adequate dispersal of economic
development and seeks to bypass congested towns and villages. It
concentrates on: -
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Upgrading and
realigning existing roads, rather that building unnecessary new
roads.
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Bypasses to relieve
congestion
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Minimising the
construction of new roads and motorways"
(Section 3.7, page 18-19)
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Where's the National Road Needs Study now?
It has been superceded by the National Development Plan. The
motorway
section of the NDP plan was drawn up by the Cabinet Committee on
Infrastructural Development (a list of members is contained in the
table
below). Various groups made submissions to the Committee.
The NRA did not
recommend building motorways. The Committee went against the
advice of the
statutory body with "overall responsibility for the planning and
supervision
of works for the construction and maintenance of national
roads"*. So far,
CaST has not been able to find any traffic data to show a need for
these
motorways. The most recent figures available, from the 1998 Roads
Needs
Study show clearly that these new motorways will be approximately
80% empty in 20 years.
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Cabinet Committee on Infrastructural
Development |
| An Taoiseach |
Mr. Bertie Ahern |
| The Tanaiste |
Ms. Mary Harney |
| Minister for Finance |
Mr. Charlie McCreevy |
| Minister for the Environment and Local Government |
Mr. Noel Dempsey |
| Minister for Public Enterprise |
Mrs. Mary O'Rourke |
| Minister for Justice and Law Reform |
Mr. John O'Donoghue |
| The Attorney General |
Mr. Michael McDowell |
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| *Roads Act 1993 (17 (1) (a)) |
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National
Road Needs Study (July1998),
Available from The
National Roads Authority,
St. Martin's House,
Waterloo Road, Dublin
4
Tel: 01 660 2511
Cost
£25.
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