The second ‘Green Route’ for Waterford City, originally proposed to run from Ballinaneesagh to Belmont, is now expected to run over a much shorter section of the N25.
City Council Senior Engineer Frank Roche said the amended route will be put before Councillors at next Monday’s monthly meeting, where it will be subject to the Council’s Part 8 planning mechanism.
“The proposed route will now run from Colbeck Street, along The Mall and as far as Rice Bridge on The Quay,” Mr Roche told The Munster Express.
The proposal to be brought before Councillors, who can approve the proposal via Part 8 (bypassing An Bord Pleanála in so doing), takes in a greatly truncated route when set against the original plan.
It would appear that the concerns raised by several businesses and individuals located along the N25 (Cork Road), particularly in the Parnell Street area, have not fallen on deaf ears.
“We welcome feedback from the public at all times,” said Mr Roche. “And that level of communication is essential if we as a Council are to provide services which serve the best interests of people living and working in our city.”
He continued: “We’re trying to initiate smarter travel within Waterford and by putting these Green Routes in place; we’re attempting to create an environment which will encourage motorists to leave their cars at home and avail of alternative means of transport in and out of the city centre.”
The first Green Route which has been established on the Dunmore Road, is now almost entirely complete in terms of the physical work that the alteration of the route demanded.
A bike lane now runs (with the exception of some minor interruptions) from the junction at the foot of Ballygunner Hill all the way to The People’s Park.
See The Munster Express newspaper for full story.
