Longford councillor questions delay in announcing preferred N4 route

Cllr Seamus Butler raised the issue at the December meeting of the local authority.

The proposed N4 Mullingar to Longford (Rooskey) Road Scheme will upgrade 50km of the N4 National Primary Route between the N4 Dromod-Rooskey bypass and the N4 Mullingar bypass. The scheme will bypass Newtownforbes, Longford, Edgeworthstown, Rathowen and Ballinalack.  It will improve road safety and will reduce travel times along this section of the N4.

Previously a preferred route corridor and route selection report for this scheme were published in July 2010 but at that time, due to funding restrictions, further work on the project was suspended.

Earlier this year concerns were raised about the future of the project after the Mullingar to Rooskey road project was left out of the government's Capital Plan. In March €1m was earmarked by Government to progress to the route selection stage.

At the time local political representatives met up with TII to urge them to restore funding for N4 Longford project. The delay to the project has caused significant frustration among politicians and landowners.

Longford County Council representatives and local Oireachtas members met with officials from Transport Infrastructure Ireland to discuss the project.

Cllr Butler said: “We were promised there would be an announcement about the preferred route of the N4 at this time of the year when we met with TII last March. Is there any update?”

However there was no update given on progress of the project.