The Government Chief Whip, CIÉ and An Post are among almost 300 objectors to a planned €810 million upgrading of the M50 in Dublin.
In a letter to An Bord Pleanála, Mr Tom Kitt, the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, cited a "chronically inadequate level of notification and advertisement of the widening", which would see a large section of the ring road expand from two to three lanes.
Among other concerns expressed by the Minister "on behalf of residents in the general area" was a fear that boundary walls would constitute a "prison-like" structure.
An Bord Pleanála has received 302 submissions on the plan - the vast majority of them containing objections - ahead of the opening of a public hearing on the matter tomorrow. The National Roads Authority (NRA) plan entails the conversion of about 24 kilometres of the existing two-lane M50 to a three-lane carriageway. The sections to be upgraded are between the M1 Belfast road and the N3 Blanchardstown junction, and between the N7 Red Cow roundabout and the Sandyford interchange.
Auxiliary lanes will also be installed along a significant portion of the M50, while several junctions will be upgraded, involving the removal of traffic lights and the creation of "free/flow interchanges".
Concerns have been raised about the escalating cost of the project, which had a price-tag of €316 million in October 2003.
Explaining the rise in cost, a spokesman for the NRA said the smaller sum related to "a more modest improvement strategy". He said the new figure took into account both price inflation and an increase in the number of interchanges to be upgraded from three to 10. He added that upgrading the Blanchardstown interchange, which was not included in the original plan, would alone cost €130 million to €140 million. The authority is planning to carry out the upgrading in two phases, the first involving the redevelopment of the Red Cow and Palmerstown interchanges. Some €300 million in State funding has been set aside for this phase, which is due to start in mid-2005.
The second phase is not due to begin until 2006, following the awarding of a €450 million to €500 million public-private partnership contract. Two bidders are in line for the contract, one of which is partly-backed by the State's National Pension Reserve Fund. The fund is one of four members of the Celtic Roads Group consortium. The other members are Westlink operators National Toll Roads, civil engineers HBG Ascon, and Spanish operator Dragados.
The other bidder is Eurolink, which is made up of Irish civil engineering group SIAC and Spanish operator Cintra.
Other submissions to An Bord Pleanála raise concerns about the impact of the development on local wildlife, particularly at the Tolka Valley. The Department of the Environment said badger, deer and bat populations needed to be protected through a range of measures, while Fingal County Council said the current plan would have a "major adverse" impact on the valley.
An Post is objecting to the compulsory purchase of 0.62 acres of land at its Newlands sorting centre at the Naas Road. The company claims the property would become unsuitable for the purpose it was designed by An Post/SDS or an alternative operator if the acquisition went ahead. CIÉ is similarly objecting to the taking of lands which were "required for railway purposes".
An Taisce, Castleknock Lawn Tennis Club and the school governors of King's Hospital, Palmerstown, are among other objectors.
