M2 motorway delays hindering development north of Ashbourne

Four years of consultation have gone into the proposed extension to the M2 motorway but there was still no sign of a defined route, a Meath county councillor told a meeting of the council this month.

Alan Tobin raised the issue during a discussion on the monthly chief executive’s report to councillors. The proposed 6km extension is expected to run from Rath to Kilmoon Cross. “We are not really any clearer on anything except for a shortened area for where the proposed preferred route is. However, we don’t know where the exits and entrances are or anything like that and it is hindering development north of Ashbourne including the retention of buildings and regularising planning permissions in certain areas.

“I know of one site where it has been devalued by up to €1 million because the person selling the site can’t regularise it because of the delays on this. We were told that this was going to be brought to planning permission stage and then we would look for funding after that but the delay can’t be blamed on Covid because that is well over”.

Referring to the R135 Cycleway Cllr Tobin said that the council was not getting information “from certain quarters” as to when that would be completed. It was supposed to be completed in June 2023 – it’s now 2024.

“We are about to hit a very significant pinch point on the road network and we need to talk to the transport engineers and the contractor. We need them to come into the room with us at the municipal district meeting. I have requested that several times and have not got it”.