Louth/Down bridge goes ahead

[Bruce Grimshaw]

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Cross-border bridge plans on show

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...n-1503571.html

It seems that the bridge between Omeath and Warrenpoint is going ahead. There was no mention of it in the budget. Should I get my hopes up?

[White Horse]

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Cross-border bridge plans on show

Gardai appeal to help find woman - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie

It seems that the bridge between Omeath and Warrenpoint is going ahead. There was no mention of it in the budget. Should I get my hopes up?

I understand that the Irish government has committed €18m and that pulling this funding would cause embarrassment to the Northern Executive who are committed to this project.

If you consider the billions that the government are spending in the transport quagmire of Dublin, €18m is but a drop in the ocean.

[Bruce Grimshaw]

I heard there are a number of Private enterprises who 1. are waiting for the first sod to be turned before they begin (redevelopment of the Park Hotel and possibly Tain holiday village).
2. That there are a number of private businesses prepared to pump in some serious cash to keep the project alive.

The second happened on the M1 at the Carrickdale. The McParlands who own the hotel paid €1million to have a turn off to the hotel.

[michael1965]

Where will this be built? I presume it's not actually spanning the Lough as such, rather it'll be built over the river/canal nearer to Newry.

It just sounds odd to be building a bridge between Warrenpoint (a big town) and Omeath (a one-horse hamlet).

[Bruce Grimshaw]

Where will this be built? I presume it's not actually spanning the Lough as such, rather it'll be built over the river/canal nearer to Newry.

It just sounds odd to be building a bridge between Warrenpoint (a big town) and Omeath (a one-horse hamlet).

It will be from the roundabout beside Narrow Water Castle and just below the Park Hotel in Omeath, Its only about 75m, just before the Lough opens up. I think the idea essentially is that it develops the area in to a proper tourist attraction. As it would make attractions on both sides of the Lough from Carlingford in Louth to Greencastle in Down very close together. Also the Omeath to Newry road is a death trap. The bridge would allow people in Carlingford and Omeath to use a safe dual carriageway that runs parallel.

[droghedasouth]

Money has also being allocated to planning the upgrade of the Aughnacloy-Omagh-Strabane road so that Jim McDiad can be home before closing time.

[michael1965]

It will be from the roundabout beside Narrow Water Castle and just below the Park Hotel in Omeath, Its only about 75m, just before the Lough opens up. I think the idea essentially is that it develops the area in to a proper tourist attraction. As it would make attractions on both sides of the Lough from Carlingford in Louth to Greencastle in Down very close together. Also the Omeath to Newry road is a death trap. The bridge would allow people in Carlingford and Omeath to use a safe dual carriageway that runs parallel.

Got you - makes sense alright. It should help the people of Newry in their quest for cheap petrol as well

[Bruce Grimshaw]

Got you - makes sense alright. It should help the people of Newry in their quest for cheap petrol as well

Well there is that benefit as well. Omeath has about four shops and two of them are at petrol stations. Most of their customers are from the North so in that sense the bridge should pay for itself as more people will have easy access to Omeath. So long as they dont put the duty up even more!!!

[HanleyS]

Well there is that benefit as well. Omeath has about four shops and two of them are at petrol stations. Most of their customers are from the North so in that sense the bridge should pay for itself as more people will have easy access to Omeath. So long as they dont put the duty up even more!!!

Oh, if only her majesty's customs and excise knew their revenues were facilitating smuggling.

[White Horse]

Got you - makes sense alright. It should help the people of Newry in their quest for cheap petrol as well

This area of north Louth and south Down has huge tourist potential. At present the area is divided by the Lough and to go from one to the other one must go west through the bottleneck of Newry.

As the Irish economy goes to pot, tourism is going to become more and more important. This area has an advantage of being within a short distance of Dublin and Belfast airports.

It would represent €18m well spent.