No TII funding yet again for Tullamore to Kilbeggan road

The Tullamore to Kilbeggan link road plan appears dead in the water, after it was omitted from Transport Infrastructure Ireland funding for the third successive year.

There had been growing calls for the proposed new link road to be funded in recent months, particularly on foot of a public meeting in Durrow and high profile political calls and deputations.

However, today's TII funding announcement (Thursday) again makes no mention of the plan, although it does allocate €100,000 for safety works at Durrow.

Although the preferred route for the new link road was published in May last, preparatory work ceased on the project, when the funding dried up.

The preferred route for the new N52 link road from Kilbeggan to Tullamore would cost €77.2m to complete. The proposal is for an 8.1km route, which incorporate some 3.3km of the existing stretch.

The absence of the route from the 2024 allocations will come as a big blow, given the growing political pressure to have it included in funding allocations for the year.

Overall, Offaly County Council is receiving some €5.9m for specific national road and greenway projets, of which €3.9m is allocated to a series of projects as part of the ongoing Grand Canal greenway.

The largest single funding allocation for an Offaly greenway is €2.4m for the Turraun to Shannon Harbour section.

In terms of roads, there is €1.2m allocated for works on the N62 near Doon.