'No delay" to M3 despite difficulties

The M3 motorway is 60 per cent complete and due to be open on schedule in July 2010, a spokesperson for the contractors said this week after TaraWatch raised concerns about contractors on the site. Recently liquidated Howley Civil Engineering was involved in the earthworks work on two sections of the motorway, where the contracts are divided into four different contracts. Other subcontractors are now carrying out the work that Howleys had been doing. 'Eurolink regrets that Howley Civil Engineering is unable to complete the 15km section of earthworks they were carrying out on the M3 project,' the roadbuilders say. 'The project is allocating additional resources to complete this element of the works. At this stage, we do not foresee any delays. Howley Civil Engineering is one of many specialist sub-contractors carrying out works, including earthworks and drainage, on the scheme.' Last week, a motorway bridge opened over one of the more contentious parts of the route, at Skryne, on the road from Ross Cross to Oberstown village, close to Collierstown, where a campaigner had built a tree house in protest at the removal of ancient remains from the route. Due to open in mid-September is the Baronstown road, where a new bridge also crosses the motorway route. In Dunshaughlin, the Dunsany Road bridge has opened, and work is progressing on the flyover at Roestown. In the Kells area, bridges have opened on the Athboy Road, Cookstown Road and Oldcastle Road, while long stretches of the motorway route already have been laid with asphalt. Last week, as a National Roads Authority (NRA) archaeology conference took place in Dublin, TaraWatch called for the closure of the NRA; transference of road-building functions to the Department of Transport, and transference of archaeology functions back to the National Museum.