Motorway link idea resurrected

The issue of a ‘northern link’ to the M9 motorway was revived again at a recent meeting of Kilcullen Community Action.

It was raised as part of a discussion on a planning application by Kilsaran Concrete to build a concrete manufacturing plant at its site in Brownstown, north of the town.

JJ Warren said the plan was to relocate the existing plant from Halvestown to the Brownstown site, where the company already has a dry mortar production operation.

The meeting heard that 11 employees currently at Halverstown would be transferred to the new operation should it get the go-ahead.

Concerns about increased traffic through the town were discussed. JJ Warren said the company reckoned that 70 percent of trucks carrying the concrete blocks would be going through Kilcullen. The balance would be heading towards Naas. The increase in traffic through Kilcullen is estimated at about 30 percent.

Mr Warren disputed the company’s figures, saying his own calculations suggested a greater increase of ‘axles’ going through the town.

He said the issue provided an opportunity to revive the ‘northern link’ road mooted prior to the opening of the bypass some 18 years ago.

He noted that the Brownstown site was only a kilometre from the Rosetown bridge over the motorway, and a new intersection there would provide easy access both north and south without the requirement of going through ether Kilcullen or Naas.

“It would save the company money too, as up to 12 kilometres per round trip would be saved,” he said. “The volumes which would come from the plant would easily justify the investment.” He added that there was a precedent for a local authority working with a similar private company on a project like this, in the €2.6m upgrading of roads at Ballymore to cope with a project for Readymix Ltd.

KCA chairman Kieran Forde said the company had been a good employer in the Kilcullen area for decades. “In principle we welcome the move, but we are concerned about the traffic.”

It was decided to make a strong submission on the application, suggesting options which might be considered.