THE €850 million motorway linking Cork to Limerick will save 70 lives in its first 30 years, a hearing into the proposed M20 scheme heard yesterday.
The scheme, which forms part of the Government’s Atlantic Corridor policy to link Letterkenny to Waterford via Limerick, Mallow and Cork, opened in Charleville, north Cork, yesterday.
Lodged with An Bord Pleanála last February, the plans have attracted 293 objections and submissions.
Eileen McCarthy, project manager for the scheme with consultants Arup, on behalf of Cork County Council, outlined road traffic accident statistics supplied by the National Roads Authority, indicating 35 fatalities on the N20 between Cork and Limerick between 1996 and 2007.
Ms McCarthy outlined safety as a primary justification for the new motorway.
“The scheme will result in the saving of 70 lives over the 30 years from year of opening,” she said.
The removal of traffic from towns along the route, opportunities for improved public transport, and shorter journey times were outlined as the key advantages.
The new motorway represents a saving of 17 minutes on the journey time between Cork and Limerick, reduced from 61 minutes on the existing N20 to 44 minutes once the scheme is complete.
Plans for the 80km stretch of motorway, which will bypass Mallow, Buttevant and Charleville, include six road bridges, eight river bridges, two railway bridges and 45km of associated national, regional and local roads.
If the M20 scheme is approved, it will be possible to travel from Cork to Galway along 200km of motorway, via the M18 Limerick Southern Ring Route, including Shannon Tunnel, the M18 from Gort to Crusheen, linking to the M17, M18 Gort to Tuam scheme.
It is expected the road will take three years to build.
The hearing is expected to continue to hear evidence from Cork County Council until the beginning of next week, before objections will be heard.