Toll on Crossing the Bridge

meldrew

But thats part of the problem , its politicans from South KK who wont do anything that would be perceived to be helping Waterford just take a look at the state of the Waterford / Dublin road for example , its a particular mindset and it's coming mainly from politicians .
If you were to ask most Waterford people they dont personally have a problem with Kilkenny people , its all just a bit of good natured slagging but its the politicans who are the most bitter because at the end of the day its their job to look after their constiuents

Bards

mfitzy wrote:

I am sick and tired of reading of this KK vs Waterford thing...I cudnt care less, I live in North KK and Waterford is irrelevant to everybody up ere!I dont know anybody that works in Waterford but I know loads that work in Kildare and Naas.. In the North of the county we are used to people from surrounding counties living and working here from Laois, Carlow, Tipp, Offaly etc etc...Its no big deal.I think it comes down to the fact that Waterford is so badly located relative to surrouding counties, cut off by the river suir.
Waterford people seem to have a big chip on their shoulders about us..why?Are we not all Irish at the end of d day?If KK and Waterford worked together on roads and stuff we'd all be much better off.

That is the whole point.. Kilkenny never worked on the roads to help us. We are physically cut off from Dublin. It is only now through the NRA that the N9 is about to be upgraded to Motorway status. Kilkenny do no provide any services in this part of their county instead rely almost 100% on Waterord City to provide them from their funds. However, Kilkenny only takes from South Kilkenny and does not re-invest moeny in the area.

You only need to ask is there a Library Service, Fire Service in the area etc. and the answer is no

So instead of money that should be invested in Waterford City for it's people we find Waterford City spending finite resources in South Kilkenny when that money should be better utilised.

So what we want is for Kilkenny to start looking after it's own people and area which they clearly are not doing. Stop trying to economically strangle us by building new shopping centres on our doorstep so they can grab even more moeny and spend it on yet another roundabout in Kilkenny City 30 miles away.

According to Kilkenny Co Co, partnership between Waterford & Kilkenny would mean Give and take.. I.E Waterford Giveth and Kilkenny Takeith.

Rant Over!!!

road_high

I agree. It has been a lot down to the KK politicians who have been focused on KK town/city (don't even want to go there!!!) and not on the south which is as much KK as us up here.
The ordinary people in KK are as disgusted at the state of the N9 as much as Waterford are and rightly so, its a disgrace that not nothing has been done with it til now.Its the main reason why I have hardly ever been in Waterford and dont know the place very well.I hear construction is meant to start on the road soon, but i'll believe that when I see it. You're lucky in Waterfrd to have a govt minister, we have nobody, hopefully that will change after d next election and FF get booted out of office!
I don't think taking over part of ur neighbouring county will do any good.All it will do is create bad feeling and bitterness.It would be outrageous for me to consider that KK might take over part of Laois near where i live. I know its not the same circumstances but the principle would be the same.

Bards

mfitzy wrote:

I agree. It has been a lot down to the KK politicians who have been focused on KK town/city (don't even want to go there!!!) and not on the south which is as much KK as us up here.
The ordinary people in KK are as disgusted at the state of the N9 as much as Waterford are and rightly so, its a disgrace that not nothing has been done with it til now.Its the main reason why I have hardly ever been in Waterford and dont know the place very well.I hear construction is meant to start on the road soon, but i'll believe that when I see it. You're lucky in Waterfrd to have a govt minister, we have nobody, hopefully that will change after d next election and FF get booted out of office!
I don't think taking over part of ur neighbouring county will do any good.All it will do is create bad feeling and bitterness.It would be outrageous for me to consider that KK might take over part of Laois near where i live. I know its not the same circumstances but the principle would be the same.

OK.. Now imagine if Laois or Carlow County Council had land less than half a mile from Kilkenny City and decided to build a massive shopping centre there to take people out of the City and create a urban waste land in it's place.

Carlow/Laois were then to take all the rates from this shopping centre and utilise this for the betterment of Laois/Carlow to the detrement of Kilkenny City and you will no doubt have a different outlook on the matter.

It is in this context that Waterford City wants to expand the administrative boundary into South Kilkenny so that we can better plan the city in a more balanced way, with the Suir at it's heart rather than on its peripherary.. a bit like Budapest.

road_high

Definitely, if u look at a map of Waterford its v lobsided on one side.
But thats an unfortunate fact of geography that Waterford will just have to live with, it doesnt mean the other side of the river should automatically become part of the city.
KK itself already faces savage competition from Carlow et al for shoppers etc. Its a simple commercial reality that people will do business where its most competitive and convenient.
Actually, Carlow town has similiar problems to Waterford with Laois on one side.They deal with and even though CW is one of Irelands smallest counties they arent looking at taking over the other side.There is loads of commercial develpoment on the Laois side and Laois coco get the rates and rightly so coz its in their county.
Anyway theyre are much more pressing issues in the whole south east than childish rows between KK and Waterford. We need better roads and espec a university which shud be shared between Waterford and Carlow ITs...Im sure everyone will agree with that last point...

Bards

mfitzy wrote:

Definitely, if u look at a map of Waterford its v lobsided on one side.
But thats an unfortunate fact of geography that Waterford will just have to live with, it doesnt mean the other side of the river should automatically become part of the city.
KK itself already faces savage competition from Carlow et al for shoppers etc. Its a simple commercial reality that people will do business where its most competitive and convenient.
Actually, Carlow town has similiar problems to Waterford with Laois on one side.They deal with and even though CW is one of Irelands smallest counties they arent looking at taking over the other side.There is loads of commercial develpoment on the Laois side and Laois coco get the rates and rightly so coz its in their county.
Anyway theyre are much more pressing issues in the whole south east than childish rows between KK and Waterford. We need better roads and espec a university which shud be shared between Waterford and Carlow ITs...Im sure everyone will agree with that last point...

I agree but when you are presented with this from one of the most vocal Senior Fine Gael anti-waterford politicans you just wonder will anything be sorted
=======================================================

Road gets green light despite report’s concerns

By Neans McSweeney, South-East Correspondent
A SECTION of new dual carriageway linking Waterford and Dublin has been given the green light, despite a report which clearly says permission for the route should be refused.

The An Bord Pleanála inspectors’ report questions whether traffic volumes on sections of the proposed €630 million route are sufficient to merit dual carriageway status.

The hard-hitting report also suggests the route would increase traffic through some areas, add to congestion in and around Kilkenny city and could push more cars onto regional roads.

But despite the concerns raised by inspector Daniel O’Connor, the board unanimously approved the road plan, albeit with a number of minor modifications.

His report to An Bord Pleanála says the new road would have little impact on reducing traffic flows on existing roads close to Kilkenny city.

The inspector said in his report that a significant section of the new road will have “exceptionally low traffic volumes for a dual carriageway” and would not be acceptable, would not be in accordance with proper planning and would have a significant adverse impact on the environment.

An Bord Pleanála secretary, Diarmuid Collins, said the inspectors’ recommendation is just that. He said the board typically follows the inspector’s decision in about 90% of cases but this was one of the exceptions.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen has shrugged off claims of political favouritism towards Waterford from the opposition.

A spokesperson for his department said: “This project was part of the plan ever before Minister Cullen arrived into office.”

Cllr Pat O’Neill (FG), a member of the Bennettsbridge Road Action Group in Kilkenny, said they have been vindicated by the inspector’s report.

“We are not against the new road but this is a complete waste of money. We will be left with a nine-kilometre stretch of motorway from Dunbell to Danesfort that no one will use,” he said.

Fine Gael TD Phil Hogan says the route bypasses Kilkenny in favour of Waterford.

“The last thing that Co Kilkenny needs is a new motorway that will operate as a bypass of the city and county of Kilkenny between Dublin and Waterford rather than an essential piece of infrastructure that will enhance our economic development into the future,” he said.

At the opening of the ring road in Waterford at the end of September, Mr Cullen promised the road to Dublin would be delivered on time and on budget.

Work also on the Waterford to Dublin motorway will begin next year and it will be complete by 2010, the Minister vowed.

“That is the sort of investment that Ireland needs and particularly the sort of investment that the south east needs,” he said on the day.

road_high

Theyre really just pandering to local landowners in those areas is all.

Every motorist in KK wants the N9 built as soon as possible. I dont really get P Hogans point in fairness, the road will benefit KK more than anywhere, it should have been built years ago..The problem has really been that funds havent come from govt to do the road. The s East has been ignored in favour of other places at the end of d day.

Bards

mfitzy wrote:

Theyre really just pandering to local landowners in those areas is all.

Every motorist in KK wants the N9 built as soon as possible. I dont really get P Hogans point in fairness, the road will benefit KK more than anywhere, it should have been built years ago..The problem has really been that funds havent come from govt to do the road. The s East has been ignored in favour of other places at the end of d day.

All very well and good... but the national media wil see it as whinging as it was this very sme person that lobbied government for the motorway to go through Kilkenny as the NRA wanted it to go via the N11 Eastern seaboard.

road_high

The NRA are an imcompetent authority-just look at the mess that is the Port Tunnel, M50 fiasco to name but a few.It was actually the PDs who were against the N9, M Harney said it was a waste of money-typical Dublin attidude to everything outside the city.This is the main reason it was actually delayed, not KK politicians objecting to it
The N9 was the natural choice anyways as it serves 3 of the biggest towns in the s east.It is a much better choice for Waterford itself as it links it ot the whole Midlands area, not just the East coast.The N11 has been much improved anyway N9 or not, travelled it lately.

Bards

so at the moment we agree that PD's and Fine Gael are against development in the SE as per their opposition to the N9/M9 I for one will be arguing with whoever comes to my door this time next year looking for votes in the general election as to where they stand on the SE Infrastructural developments, be they in Kilkenny/Waterord or wherever.

to quote from "Field of Dreams", "If you build it, they will come" meaning jobs/people etc.

road_high

I'd like to stress here I am NOT a member of the FG party, which i seem to detect u think i am from ur replies!!I am just someone who is disgusted at the way this govt (in power 4 the last 10 years in fairness) led by FF/PD has totally neglected our region.Sure they gave us loads of false promises at the last election how they would develop everything- theyve had their chance to deliver and the facts are they havent!!Pure and simple..
I know i'll base my voting on what ive seen done in the last 5 yrs (almost zilch) and will be voting accordingly!!
Its prob different 4 Waterford people, they have m Cullen doing stuff for them though...

mike65

“The last thing that Co Kilkenny needs is a new motorway that will operate as a bypass of the city

ROFFFFFFFFFFFFFFLE! Its a fvcking motorway numbnuts, its meant to by-pass towns and cities.

Mike.

OLDYELLAR

mike65 wrote:

ROFFFFFFFFFFFFFFLE! Its a fvcking motorway numbnuts, its meant to by-pass towns and cities.

Mike.

LOL

meldrew

I shudder to think that if FG get in at the next election Phil Hogan will be a senior minister especially with comments like that

Bards

meldrew wrote:

I shudder to think that if FG get in at the next election Phil Hogan will be a senior minister especially with comments like that

That is exactly the point I was trying to make. The PD's are only a minority party and will never be able to stop progress... but Fine Gael and Labour on the other hand... not that is a totaly different story. Two big party's with a lot of political support

With Howlin in Wexford and Phil Hogan in Kilkenny... nothing will get done here. It was afterall a FIne Gael minister that moved the Regional director of the IDA to Cork in the hope that Wexford would get more jobs.. what a barmy idea... end result was the Whole South East lost out.