Narrow Water Bridge - Yes or No

[armaghniac]

Bridge order

http://www.drdni.gov.uk/index/public...htm?docid=8819

[stew]

We own 23 acres between Newry & the Point..........................hell yeah we want the bridge 

It would have been better if you owned 23 acres between Newry and Carlingford, that's where all the traffic will be going.

Really? 

Residuals will be plenty good enough for me. 

[All of a Sludden]

Sammy says YES 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22694624

Funding for a new £14m cross-border bridge has been given the go-ahead by Finance Minister Sammy Wilson.

The Narrow Water bridge is to link the counties of Down and Louth across Carlingford Lough.

The scheme will be subject to various conditions in relation to its upkeep by Newry and Mourne Council as well as Louth County Council.

The bridge is to be 660 metres (2,165 feet) long across the Newry river channel.

"Funding of £14m for the Narrow Water bridge has now been given approval subject to clarification on technical conditions applicable to the Letter of Offer," Mr Wilson said.

"As with any project offer, the Letter of Offer for the Narrow Water bridge Project will include a number of important conditions.

"One such condition is a commitment by Louth County Council that they will have sole responsibility for any cost overruns associated within the eligible spend timeframe and in the event that the project would extend outside this period.

"Louth County Council shall also meet all the maintenance and associated costs related to the upkeep of the bridge and its service area."

The project is supported under the EU's INTERREG IVA programme.

A spokesperson for the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) said: "The SEUPB has received official confirmation from the Department of Finance and Personnel that financial support will be made available for the Narrow Water Bridge project.

"This confirmation will enable the SEUPB to issue a letter of offer of 17,369,210 euros under the EU's INTERREG IVA Programme, to the lead partner of the project, East Border Region."

The chairman of East Border Region, Councillor Gerald Mallon, welcomed Mr Wilson's decision to approve the project.

"The Narrow Water bridge is a genuinely symbolic cross border project providing the first bridge linking Ireland and Northern Ireland and will provide a catalyst for both economic development and tourism within the region," he said.

"The bridge development will provide much needed jobs in the construction sector in the short term and will undoubtedly enhance the tourism potential of the region as it acts as a gateway to the Mournes and Cooley mountains."

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, of the SDLP, said the project was one of the most important north-south projects to be brought forward.

"The project is a shining example of how far we have come as a community and in our north-south relations," she said.

"It also symbolises the future of our economy, which is in our tourism product, and this is now something, thanks to the peace process that we can export worldwide."

Sinn Fein MLA Caitriona Ruane said the announcement had the potential to transform the economic prospects of the entire region.

[Leo]

There have been some silly ego projects on both sides of the border in recent years - all "politically" motivated - but this one takes the biscuit. In the face of a crying need for a southern ring around Newry to bypass the chronic bottleneck that is Kilmorey Street / Dublin Road and its daily congestion by trucks heading for the Warrenpoint port & Mourne hinterland, we are pouring millions into a fancy-dan bridge to/from the Omeath dirt-track that will not handle any commercial trafic! Nor will it attract any significant "southern" tourists north because as soon as they get to Carlingford they will have no interest in experiencing the death-rattle that is Omeath on the way to the north. On the other hand the Narrow Minded bridge will be of benefit to those from the Point who want to get to the Quays in a hurry o the weekend.
Lets call it the Kit Kat bridge - you know the advert - cant sing, look awful - you will go far. Daft.

[armaghniac]

There have been some silly ego projects on both sides of the border in recent years - all "politically" motivated - but this one takes the biscuit. In the face of a crying need for a southern ring around Newry to bypass the chronic bottleneck that is Kilmorey Street / Dublin Road and its daily congestion by trucks heading for the Warrenpoint port & Mourne hinterland, we are pouring millions into a fancy-dan bridge to/from the Omeath dirt-track that will not handle any commercial trafic! Nor will it attract any significant "southern" tourists north because as soon as they get to Carlingford they will have no interest in experiencing the death-rattle that is Omeath on the way to the north. On the other hand the Narrow Minded bridge will be of benefit to those from the Point who want to get to the Quays in a hurry o the weekend.

I've never heard such bollix. This entire project costs 10% of any southern ring of Newry and is almost completely funded from EU tourism funds, funds that are simply not available for a ring road for Newry. The Newry southern link won't be built for 20 years, this project is not related to it one way or the other. I don't see why it should not attract tourists who want to visit South Down, who can go there without having to trail through Newry.

[Orior]

There have been some silly ego projects on both sides of the border in recent years - all "politically" motivated - but this one takes the biscuit. In the face of a crying need for a southern ring around Newry to bypass the chronic bottleneck that is Kilmorey Street / Dublin Road and its daily congestion by trucks heading for the Warrenpoint port & Mourne hinterland, we are pouring millions into a fancy-dan bridge to/from the Omeath dirt-track that will not handle any commercial trafic! Nor will it attract any significant "southern" tourists north because as soon as they get to Carlingford they will have no interest in experiencing the death-rattle that is Omeath on the way to the north. On the other hand the Narrow Minded bridge will be of benefit to those from the Point who want to get to the Quays in a hurry o the weekend.

I've never heard such bollix. This entire project costs 10% of any southern ring of Newry and is almost completely funded from EU tourism funds, funds that are simply not available for a ring road for Newry. The Newry southern link won't be built for 20 years, this project is not related to it one way or the other. I don't see why it should not attract tourists who want to visit South Down, who can go there without having to trail through Newry.

I agree and would like to see the bridge built asap, but if it is left to a unionist Danny Kennedy for the final decision, then I'm not hopeful.

[Oldhacker]

The bridge is essentially to facilitate visitors passing between the Cooley and Mourne scenic areas, who, with the best will in the world, are unlikely to be tempted into Newry. It will cost the northern tax payer less than £3m, which it is likely to recoup from the increased tourist trade fairly quickly, and it will be of huge benefit to the struggling construction industry in the short term. The link from Omeath to Newry is scheduled to be upgraded as well, and there is nothing to prevent the separate case for road improvements around Newry from being pursued. Sinn Fein and the SDLP are obviously strongly in favour of the bridge, the DUP has agreed through Sammy Wilson and the Ulster Unionists are likely to follow with Danny Kennedy. There are very few projects capable of getting the backing of all our main political parties, and even fewer initiatives from Stormont which ever see the light of day, but you cannot keep everyone happy.

[ziggysego]

There have been some silly ego projects on both sides of the border in recent years - all "politically" motivated - but this one takes the biscuit. In the face of a crying need for a southern ring around Newry to bypass the chronic bottleneck that is Kilmorey Street / Dublin Road and its daily congestion by trucks heading for the Warrenpoint port & Mourne hinterland, we are pouring millions into a fancy-dan bridge to/from the Omeath dirt-track that will not handle any commercial trafic! Nor will it attract any significant "southern" tourists north because as soon as they get to Carlingford they will have no interest in experiencing the death-rattle that is Omeath on the way to the north. On the other hand the Narrow Minded bridge will be of benefit to those from the Point who want to get to the Quays in a hurry o the weekend.

I've never heard such bollix. This entire project costs 10% of any southern ring of Newry and is almost completely funded from EU tourism funds, funds that are simply not available for a ring road for Newry. The Newry southern link won't be built for 20 years, this project is not related to it one way or the other. I don't see why it should not attract tourists who want to visit South Down, who can go there without having to trail through Newry.

I agree and would like to see the bridge built asap, but if it is left to a unionist Danny Kennedy for the final decision, then I'm not hopeful.

We know all about that in the West.

[orangeman]

This is brilliant -

MLA: name Narrow Water bridge after Parachute Regiment

The bridge will span the Newry River at Narrow Water

An Ulster Unionist MLA has said the Narrow Water bridge should be called the Parachute Regiment Bridge.
Sam Gardiner, MLA for Upper Bann but originally from Lurgan, County Armagh, said it should be "named after the 18 members of the Parachute Regiment who were murdered there by the IRA."

Mr Gardiner said although he thought building the bridge was unnecessary the name would be a fitting tribute.

The bridge will link County Down and County Louth across Carlingford Lough.

Mr Gardiner said the bridge is "the product of the kind of crazy economics and white elephant projects which Sinn Fein are given to".


"It already seems that a play park in Newry is to be called after a convicted IRA terrorist and hunger striker Raymond McCreesh," he said.

"To name the new Narrow Water bridge after the Parachute Regiment would go some way to redressing the offence the McCreesh decision by Newry Council caused the unionist community across Northern Ireland."

Mr Gardiner said that the bridge was not what Northern Ireland's economy needed.

"There is a perfectly good road between Belfast and Dublin a few miles away and the local economy on both sides of the border there does not justify such a costly infrastructural project at this time of cutbacks.

"Still, this is the Sinn Fein technique. "

In 1979, an IRA ambush killed 18 Parachute Regiment soldiers in two explosions at Narrow Water Castle.

[armaghniac]

"There is a perfectly good road between Belfast and Dublin a few miles away

Oh right. So any proposed improvement in Upper Bann can be denied on the basis that there is a perfectly good M1 a few miles away.

Back in reality, submissions have closed for the Bridge order, Danny Kennedy now has to decide to hold an enquiry or not.

[Hardy]

This is brilliant -

MLA: name Narrow Water bridge after Parachute Regiment

The bridge will span the Newry River at Narrow Water

An Ulster Unionist MLA has said the Narrow Water bridge should be called the Parachute Regiment Bridge.
Sam Gardiner, MLA for Upper Bann but originally from Lurgan, County Armagh, said it should be "named after the 18 members of the Parachute Regiment who were murdered there by the IRA."

Mr Gardiner said although he thought building the bridge was unnecessary the name would be a fitting tribute.

The bridge will link County Down and County Louth across Carlingford Lough.

Mr Gardiner said the bridge is "the product of the kind of crazy economics and white elephant projects which Sinn Fein are given to".


"It already seems that a play park in Newry is to be called after a convicted IRA terrorist and hunger striker Raymond McCreesh," he said.

"To name the new Narrow Water bridge after the Parachute Regiment would go some way to redressing the offence the McCreesh decision by Newry Council caused the unionist community across Northern Ireland."

Mr Gardiner said that the bridge was not what Northern Ireland's economy needed.

"There is a perfectly good road between Belfast and Dublin a few miles away and the local economy on both sides of the border there does not justify such a costly infrastructural project at this time of cutbacks.

"Still, this is the Sinn Fein technique. "

In 1979, an IRA ambush killed 18 Parachute Regiment soldiers in two explosions at Narrow Water Castle.

Brilliant!

"To name the new Narrow Water bridge after the Parachute Regiment would go some way to redressing the offence the McCreesh decision by Newry Council caused the unionist community across Northern Ireland."

More reaching out. They way to respond to being offended is to offend back. An eye for an eye, a slight for a slight, even if we all end up blind and ... eh ... slighter.

[qubdub]

Would you expect anything different from an irrelevant Unionist dinosaur?

Their utter stupidity and inability to think rationally beggars belief sometimes all the time.

For him to equate the naming of this bridge after a gung-ho murdering British military unit with that of a park in a republican area after McCreesh is laughable.

Speaks volumes for the disregard Unionists have towards the role the army they glorify so much had in killing innocent people here. All for a few petty political points. dickhead.

[Maguire01]

For him to equate the naming of this bridge after a gung-ho murdering British military unit with that of a park in a republican area after McCreesh is laughable.

That's not really the issue. After all, McCreesh was convicted of attempted murder himself.

What is implied here is that the naming of the park was inappropriate (on which i'd agree), but that this naming of the bridge would even the score. Essentially that 'two wrongs' will make a 'right'.

[glens abu]

 

[ballela-angel]

but if it is left to a unionist Danny Kennedy for the final decision, then I'm not hopeful

I can say for certain that as of last week he said "yes" in private - Of course he may change his mind - If the bridge is built it will help the local building business - There will be a hotel built in Kilkeel that will do the same, plus provide long term employment to an area that has seen serious emigration