M6 service area in Athlone back on horizon

The National Roads Authority has advertised tenders for preliminary works for a new service area along the M6 outside Athlone in recent days. It is one of three motorway rest areas that the agency has sought archaeological consultancy services for, the others being on the M8 at Cashel in Tipperary and on the M9 at Kilcullen, Co Kildare, all of which had been shelved in 2009 due to budget cuts. The work is required in advance of construction of the proposed service area at Fassagh townland, around nine kilometres east of Athlone, although funding has not been committed for the development as of yet. “It's setting the tables so we can put the cutlery on,†Sean O'Neill, NRA spokesperson remarked this week. “It is the first stage of the process, we want to be prepared if funding becomes available.†Asked if the authority expected an imminent announcement from the Department of Transport in terms of monies for the rest areas, Mr O'Neill was noncommittal, save to say they would “wait and see how it pans outâ€. It's thought a decision on funding from the Department for new service areas along the full motorway network could be made in weeks, although the upcoming general election is likely to push that timeframe out further. Just three service areas of the dozen envisaged for Ireland's motorway network have been put in place due to funding constraints, two along the M1 at Lusk and Castlebellingham in Louth and one on the M4 at Enfield which opened last year. A Public Private Partnership contract to design, build finance, maintain and operate the first three motorway service areas in Ireland was awarded to the Superstop Consortium, consisting of Applegreen, the retail operator, TOP Oil, fuel operator and Pierse Contracting, The deadline for the Cashel project's tenders is in three weeks' time. The tenders for the others including Athlone must be received by March 7 next. In late 2009, planning approval and a compulsory purchase order was granted for the development of the service station at a 10.6 hectare site in the townlands of Fassagh, Glen and Killogeenaghan, Athlone. The facilities for the service station would include 24-hour services, public toilets and showers, food provision from 6am to 10pm, parking facilities for cars and heavy goods vehicles, and indoor and outdoor children's play areas.