ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS and local landowners in Co Limerick have welcomed the scrapping of a proposed new road between Abbeyfeale and Adare.
The National Roads Authority told a meeting of Limerick County Council this week that the N21 project would not go ahead because there was no funding for it.
The decision means that a freeze can now be lifted on the development of lands that were under consideration as possible routes for the dual carriageway.
PlanBetter – a joint initiative of four environmental organisations, An Taisce, Friends of the Earth, Friends of the Irish Environment and Feasta – welcomed the roads authority’s decision.
Spokesman for the group James Nix said recent cuts in local road maintenance works were due to excessive motorway construction.
He expressed a hope that the move would “herald a change in policy to an emphasis on the maintenance, connectivity and accessibility to public transport”.
Separately, design plans for an additional junction on the proposed M20 motorway linking Cork and Limerick have been completed. Following a successful appeal by residents in July 2010, Buttevant, Co Cork, will now be served by a direct junction with the 80km stretch of motorway.
In previous plans, Buttevant was the only bypassed town on the route not to be served by a junction connection.
The new proposed layouts will be displayed in coming weeks in the M20 scheme design office in Gooldshill in Mallow, Co Cork.