PEOPLE I Tuesday, December 1, 2020 ADVERTISING FEATURE 19

Option C chosen as preferred option for new N25 Rosslare Europort Access Road WEXFORD County Council has con­ to Rosslare Europort from the N25 Option C proposes the construction of structure layout in the Port, which is Europort Infrastructure Master Plan, firmed the preferred scheme option with the following aims - to secure a new offline access road to the port. due to commence in 2021 following the Ballygillane Roundabout, the Wa­ for the new N25 Rosslare Europort competitiveness by improving acces­ A total of 91 submissions were receipt of planning approval. These terford to Greenway Access Road following public con­ sibility and connectivity to the port; received and a Public Consultation Re­ combined developments will ensure and the proposed N11/N25 Oilgate to sultation and further appraisal of the to improve road safety, particularly port was published in August, which the sustainability and future opera­ Rosslare Harbour road project. three scheme options. in the village of Rosslare Harbour; to summarised the consultation process tional capacity of this critical road-sea Subject to receiving the necessary Access to and from Rosslare Eu­ avoid or minimise negative impacts on and the matters raised by members of transport corridor into the future. approvals and funding, the Preferred roport, the State’s second largest the existing environment; to improve the public. This report and the Option Two sub-options were also devel­ Scheme Option will now proceed to passenger port and the fourth largest social inclusion in the village by man­ Selection Report can be viewed on oped for the preferred option, based the next phase of the project which in terms of overall tonnage, is consid­ aging or removing port traffic; to pro­ www.rosslareeuroportaccessroad.ie. on a single carriageway road and a is Design and Environmental Evalu­ ered to be critical in maintaining the mote regional balance by improving To identify the ‘Preferred Scheme dual carriageway road respectively. ation, during which it will be further strategic connection between access to the south east and Rosslare, Option’, the project team undertook Both sub-options follow the same developed to refine the design of the and the rest of the European Union and to promote sustainable and active an appraisal of the options and con­ alignment and are regarded as equiv­ road alignment, junctions, accesses and the UK. travel by integrating high quality sidered public feedback, in accordance alent in terms of the overall appraisal and structures. Significant growth is forecast in the cycling and walking infrastructure. with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and both will be brought forward for These design developments will coming years, which will further in­ The option selection process took guidelines. The selection process further evaluation and design. also allow the land area required for crease Rosslare’s strategic importance account of other proposed infrastruc­ and outcome are as outlined in an Option C was chosen as the pre­ the scheme to be defined and will for international trade, business and tural investments including plans information brochure which is being ferred option based on a number of facilitate more detailed engagement tourism. A further new six-day per for a new internal port layout in circulated in Rosslare Harbour this criteria including economy, safety, with affected landowners, local resi­ week service between Rosslare the Rosslare Europort Master Plan, week. The brochure is also available environmental impact, accessibility dents and other project stakeholders. Europort and in northern which received planning approval on the project website. and social inclusion, integration and The environmental evaluation was announced just last Friday, in August of this year and a new N25 Scheme Option C has been con­ physical activity. of the scheme will be progressed in further highlighting the importance of Ballygillane Roundabout being devel­ firmed as the Preferred Scheme Op­ The removal of port traffic from the tandem with design development, Rosslare as a transport corridor with oped as a stand alone project by the tion and will now be brought forward village and the proposed provision with both elements of the process the European mainland. County Council, in order to ensure for design development and further of dedicated facilities for cyclists influencing each other. Access to the Europort is via the integration of the overall road/sea environmental evaluation, as it has and pedestrians are considered to It is anticipated that the environ­ N25 , which transport network been identified as the option that can be important safety benefits of the mental evaluation may prompt design connects with the N11/M11 to form Three feasible options were pre­ best deliver the project objectives. route, and it will also improve social amendments which would eliminate part of the Trans-European Trans­ sented for public consultation in June The selected scheme option consists inclusion and accessibility to essential or reduce potential environmental port Network, and currently passes of this year, with A and B proposing of a combination of existing road and services and amenities for residents. impacts. There will also be further en­ through the village of Rosslare Har­ the continued use of the existing N25 new road corridor to provide a new It is also considered the best per­ gagement with landowners, local res­ bour. corridor to Rosslare Europort and access route to Rosslare Europort. forming in terms of integration with idents and other project stakeholders Wexford County Council is pro­ the second of these proposing im­ The scheme will then directly connect other planned infrastructural im­ during the design and environmental posing to provide improved access provement works to the existing N25. with the proposed new internal infra­ provements, including the Rosslare evaluation process.