Gridlock from Dublin to the Cavan border? Wild exaggeration, of course. But give it time. Those who leave a Dublin suburb for the job in the city centre (or the return journey) and take an hour and a half, could spare a thought for those who, looking for cheaper housing in the country, are, in places, joining just another traffic jam. And this one will grow and grow. If land prices in Meath are any indication, the trend, while maybe temporarily cooling in the eyes of some agents, seems to others more likely to stay high and maybe go higher. More commuters. For The Meath Chroni- cle tells us that city commuters appear prepared to move further north into Meath to acquire a house at the right price. Recently a local record of £2.6 million was paid for nineteen acres, or £135,000 per acre. Say it again: one hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds per acre. And that's just claimed as a local record, around Trim.
And it is believed that some commuters may have to move to districts north of Kells. Thomas Potterton of the firm that made the sale feels that prices may have peaked. Others are more cautious. As it is, the exodus of cars northward in the winter evenings is a sight to behold - particularly if you are coming into Dublin against the almost uninterrupted line of headlights. Ron Duff, Ratoath-based auctioneer is quoted as saying that land prices still command prices of even £200,000 to £300,000 per acre, though there has been a slight cooling off. Farmers wanting to sell a few acres may have to wait twelve months for planning permission. In house prices, some commuters say, according to Deputy John Farrelly of Navan, that they are "saving £1,000 for every mile from Dublin they travel". And Mr Farrelly says that around Navan, land sold for development has fetched even more money than the figure quoted above for Trim.
Meeting this oncoming stream of lights as you make for Dublin on a winter's evening, leads you to think that in spite of the bad drivers who take a risk (for themselves and others) by breaking the line and trying to face down the cars coming against them on a road that does not take three cars abreast, there are so many, good, helpful, decent drivers. They will let you in from a side road or otherwise show concern and decency. Take a thought in your city car for those who have maybe fifty miles each way of commuting this winter. Y