New bypasses lure Dublin commuters

The opening of the Arklow bypass and planned bypasses of a number of Co Wicklow villages have given property developers the opportunity to market north Wexford as "within commuting distance of Dublin".

Large suburban-style housing estates have sprung up around Gorey in recent years. According to Mr Kevin Redmond, of the council's planning department, the population of Gorey and environs has gone from 3,939 in 1996 to close to 5,000.

He acknowledged this figure could double over the next five years of the County Development Plan but added that this would not necessarily be allowed to happen. He said if growth is to happen it must be in tandem with social and physical facilities.

Mr Redmond added the "major force" in Co Wexford at the moment is the expansion of Dublin into the north of the county and this includes applications for one-off houses in the hinterland - possibly, he added, because of restrictions in Wicklow.

"Far too often in this country we had the houses first and they were followed, eventually by facilities" he said, adding that the purpose of the town plan is to ensure this does not happen again.

For those Dubliners seduced by the quality of life, the reality is a 60-mile trek to Dublin, a 120-mile round trip daily.

Mr Michael Higgins, who used to commute with his girlfriend to Dublin every weekday, has recently given up the long-distance commuting in favour of a job in nearby Arklow. Mr Higgins's commuting was onerous. Leaving Gorey, the Arklow bypass brings him into Co Wicklow quite quickly but a series of twisting single-carriageway roads through Rathnew as far as the Glen of the Downs slows traffic.

The Bray bypass speeds things up again but from Loughlinstown inwards the pace is a white-knuckle crawl.

For others a drive to Arklow for the 6.57 a.m. train will get them into Dublin shortly before 9 a.m. A train at 5.35 p.m. will return them to Arklow at about 7 p.m. and they should be home in Gorey by 7.20 p.m.