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The Department for Infrastructure have replied to correspondence from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in relation to an emergency motion on the Fixed Bridge Design for Newry Southern Relief Road at the March 2023 monthly Council meeting. The summary of the reply is that while we hear your concerns an opening bridge option doesn't represent value for money and they will continue to progress with the fixed bridge, something that will end over 250 years of Newry maritime history.
Newry City Cllr Cathal King had put forward a motion at the 6 March meeting expressing the Council's 'disappointment' with the Department's decision to proceed with a fixed bridge over Newry Ship Canal and urging them to reconsider their decision. It should be noted that this motion expressing the Council's disappointment, followed a decision a couple of years earlier at a 10 May 2021 Council meeting to send an economic assessment document (Executive Summary - Maritime leisure and tourism at Albert Basin) to DFI that told them to do exactly that, ie proceed with a fixed bridge, and stating that it would take almost 8,000 years to pay for an opening bridge! While we have had sight of the document three successive FoI requests to obtain a copy of it have been refused.
The motion at the March meeting said “That this Council is deeply disappointed with the Department for Infrastructures decision to proceed with a fixed bridge design for the Newry Southern Relief Road, stresses that the local community have made clear their support for an open bridge and for the Albert Basin to remain unhindered and open to navigation, recognises the potential of our waterways and their historical and cultural importance for the area, and urges the Department for Infrastructure to reconsider their decision to proceed with a fixed bridge design”.
Two amendments were made: 1: It was agreed to ask for Council representation to meet with senior officials within Department for Infrastructure to articulate the views of the local community. 2" It was further agreed to request Department to delay final decision until a local Minister is in place. It's not known at this stage if a Council representation did actually meet with DfI officials.
The Reply from Jonathan Saulters, Deputy Director, Major Projects at the Department for Infrastructure is included in corespondence in the Agenda for the July Council meeting this Monday 3 July.
Mr Saulters states "In the absence of a Minister, the Permanent Secretary has taken this decision under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc.) Act 2022. Her decision has been taken after detailed consideration of a range of factors, including engineering, economic, heritage impact and environmental assessments.
He continues "The Department is fully aware that several stakeholders, including elected representatives, have raised concerns about the proposed NSRR bridge structure over the Newry Ship Canal and its potential to impact vessel navigation on the canal. The Department has considered this matter in detail and a number of different bridge span and structural form options were considered. As the Newry Ship Canal has been scheduled under Article 3 of the Historic Monuments and Archaeological Object (NI) Order 1995, the Department has engaged with the Department for Communities (DfC) Historic Environment Division (HED) to assess the impact of the options on the Newry Ship Canal Scheduled monument.
"In terms of the economic assessment, it has been assessed that the cost of providing an opening bridge far outweighs the potential benefits that an opening bridge would yield to the economy. It is therefore clear that the provision of any opening bridge option does not represent value for money."
Mr Saulters reply also stated that the new road would reduce traffic flows and lower emissions in Newry although if this is true it would be true of an opening bridge as well. "Given the important strategic benefits that the Newry Southern Relief Road will bring to Newry and the surrounding area, by improving connectivity across this island while also reducing traffic flows, lowering emissions, and improving air quality within the city of Newry, the Major Projects South team will progress the scheme to the next development stage. This will include the production of draft Orders and an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) for the project, which will be subject to public consultation. The public consultation will provide a further opportunity for stakeholders and local representatives to provide their views on the proposed scheme." he concluded.
Councillors will get a chance to comment on the correspondence at Monday's Council meeting.
