D-Day dawns for Gort to Tuam motorway

Date Published: 21-Sep-2011

Intense behind the scenes negotiations are taking with two of the consortiums who had tendered to build the much delayed Gort to Tuam motorway in an effort to rekindle interest the project which already has swallowed up €140 million.

But if no progress is made as a result of these top level discussions, then it is d-day for the M17/M18 motorway with the National Roads Authority having to decide where to begin the tender process all over again or scrap the plan for several years.

And it has been learned that the NRA would not be averse to both consortiums getting involved in the project if it meant that the motorway could be built.

Late last year the contract for the €500 million project was awarded to the BAM Balfour Beatty consortium but contract documents were never signed as they could not secure the financial backing required to proceed with the project.

It has allowed the National Roads Authority to enter into top secret discussions with this consortium along with Roadbridge, the consortium from Limerick which failed to secure the tender for the 57 kilometre motorway.

A source within the NRA told The Connacht Tribune that the discussions centered on making the project attractive from an investment point of view but wouldn’t divulge any further details of the talks.

“Basically we are trying to create an environment which would make it easier for one of the consortiums to secure the necessary funding to invest in a project in this country. We should know the outcome within the next couple of weeks when an announcement will be made”, the source said.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.