Tullamore to Kilbeggan road plan snubbed for 2023 funding

The future of the long-planned N52 link road between Tullamore and Kilbeggan is shrouded in doubt after Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) failed to allocate any funding for the works this year.

Although the preferred route for a new N52 link road between Kilbeggan and Tullamore is due to be announced shortly, the project was omitted from the 2023 grant allocations to local authorities announced yesterday (Thursday) by TII.

It's the second successive year the project has not been granted funding.

It emerged in recent weeks that the options selection report, which will identify the emerging preferred route for the road, would be published in the first quarter of 2023.

Already a preferred route corridor has been published. It is circa 8.1km in length and maximises use of existing upgraded sections of the N52, including the Tullamore Bypass at the south and the approach to the M6 junction at the north.

Leaving from Tullamore, the route corridor follows the existing N52 until just north of the L2003 Ballynamona Road, where it diverges to the east. It crosses the L2005 and the L2006 High Road before merging back with the existing N52 again, north of the county boundary in the townland of Curraghglass.

Both Offaly and Westmeath County Councils deem the new link road to be a priority in order to improve both connectivity and safety on the route, with very high volumes of traffic using the N52, at some 14,000 vehicles per day.

However, the lack of funding for the second successive year speaks volumes as to where the project lies within Government priorities.