Lack of Government action on Athlone relief road noise criticised
A local Fianna Fáil councillor has criticised the Government for failing to commit to installing sound barriers to address the issue of noise affecting residents close to the N6 Athlone Relief Road.
In 2023, a consultants' report commissioned by Westmeath County Council found that people living in estates near the dual carriageway were being subjected to excessive and intrusive noise pollution from passing traffic.
However, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke said the 2023 report had been "sitting on a shelf" since then because of Government inaction.
He said the cost of installing sound barriers to address the problem was "in the region of €10 million" and that this had to come from central Government, because an investment of that scale was "simply beyond the reach" of local authorities.
Cllr O'Rourke said he was deeply disappointed that when the National Development Plan was revised in November it didn't include an objective to address the noise issues near the relief road, which have been discussed at council meetings for several years.
"Residents in areas adjoining the relief road continue to experience ever-increasing noise levels from traffic, significantly impacting their quality of life," said Cllr O'Rourke.
"We have done everything that can reasonably be expected at local authority level. Westmeath County Council engaged specialist consultants to carry out detailed noise mapping along the Athlone Relief Road and to develop a comprehensive noise mitigation plan.
"That plan includes clear options and costings, but it is now sitting on a shelf because Government has failed to act."
Cllr O'Rourke said local representatives in Athlone had met a number of Ministers on the issue, including a meeting approximately a year ago with Minister Seán Canney and Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran.
The Athlone councillor welcomed the recent announcement that the East Athlone Relief Route (link road) was being included in the revised National Development Plan, saying this was "a necessary and positive step" for the future development of the town.
He said, however, there had been "a missed opportunity" to "include a clear objective and funding" in the revised development plan in order to "finally deal with the noise pollution from the existing Athlone Relief Road".
He added that unless the Government steps in to fund the noise mitigation measures, "residents will continue to suffer indefinitely, despite the fact that the problem has been professionally assessed and fully costed".
Cllr O'Rourke said he had recently raised the issue again with Minister Canney at a tourism event and was told there was no update or progress.
"That is not good enough. This issue has been dragging on for far too long. Athlone residents deserve action, not more delays."
Referring to Minister Peter Burke and Ministers of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran and Robert Troy, Cllr O'Rourke said: "Our three constituency Government Ministers must now take responsibility and deliver the funding required to implement the Athlone Relief Road Noise Mitigation Plan once and for all."
The 2023 report commissioned by the county council was carried out by AONA Environmental Consulting Ltd at seven residential areas along the N6 Athlone Relief Road. It found that traffic noise in all seven areas was above recommended guidelines both during the day and at night.
The areas where the traffic noise was assessed were: Abbeygarth, Priory Park, Arcadia Court, Arcadia Crescent, Cloghanboy Close, Bloomfield Drive and Altown.
The report concluded by outlining two potential options for reducing the sound levels: A lowering of the speed limit on the Athlone N6, from 100km per hour to 80km per hour; or the installation of three or four-metre high absorptive noise barriers at residential areas adjoining the dual carriageway.