N28 upgrade crucial for Cork and southwest Print this article
Cork Chamber recently launched an economic assessment, prepared by Indecon International Economic Consultants on behalf of the Chamber, which demonstrates that the proposed upgrade of the N28 road scheme from Cork to Ringaskiddy is a key catalyst project that deserves priority status.
Speaking at the launch of the assessment, Cork Chamber president, Ger O'Mahoney stated: “Great competitive city regions have excellent infrastructure to give unrestricted access to markets and while most infrastructure is useful, some infrastructure such as the N28 is crucial to the success of a region.
“The analysis in this report highlights the strong economic arguments for the upgrade of the N28 road scheme. Not only is the planned upgrade of the N28 a vital part of the external and internal connectivity of the southwest region, it would also represent the removal of a significant constraint to the international competitiveness of the region.”
Key benefits
He continued: “The assessment has identified many key benefits as a result of upgrading the N28 which include direct transport benefits, the enhancement of the Ringaskiddy industrial cluster, the potential of the N28 to act as a catalyst for the wider economic development of the southwest, in addition to important social and environmental benefits. However, failure to upgrade the N28 would have severe competitive and economic implications for the region from the probable damage to external connectivity through the Port of Cork.”
Mr O'Mahoney added: “It is clear that the economic benefits arising as a result of this assessment speak for themselves and what we now require is Government to engage with all parties to secure funding as a matter of urgency to deliver this vital piece of strategic infrastructure.”
According to Kevin Murray Chartered Engineer, chairperson of the Chamber's Transport and Infrastructure Committee: “In terms of the direct transport benefits and costs related to transportation, the report has demonstrated that the N28 upgrade could realise a net economic return of €135 million and support over 800 jobs during construction. The upgrade would also relieve commuter traffic congestion, provide transportation capacity required to meet expected growth in freight traffic and copper-fasten the role of the N28 as a strategic national primary route.”
Unacceptable situation
“The current situation whereby Ringaskiddy, an international pharmaceutical cluster is served from Cork by a sub-standard narrow single-carriageway road is completely unacceptable. In these competitive times, the upgrade of the road to dual-carriageway standard is a necessary signal to the market of our national commitment to Ringaskiddy, not to mention the fact that the assessment indicates that the N28 upgrade could provide a catalyst for realising enhanced FDI-related benefits. Such benefits include the potential to support 1,100 additional high-value jobs in the Ringaskiddy area and related additional employment incomes of over €97 million in annual terms,” Mr Murray said.
“If the N28 is not upgraded as a matter of urgency, there is a very real threat to external connectivity and regional competitiveness. The Port of Cork has to develop downstream or it will be unable to meet the demands of changing market conditions. If the port is constrained, then the region is less competitive and the assessment has further highlighted this by showing that failure to deliver downstream would mean that the port could only achieve half of its estimated 2030 potential. What we now need to see is improved capacity to serve the external connectivity requirements of the southwest's business community through facilitating the development of the Port of Cork's operations at Ringaskiddy and ensuring the provision of adequate port capacity as also set out in the recently published Review of the Port of Cork's Strategic Development Plan,” Mr Murray continued.