Decades of tireless campaigning, relentless advocacy and countless meetings have finally borne fruit with the granting of approval for the Slane Bypass.
Aontú Cllr Emer says
“This is incredibly welcome news. Slane is historic and beautiful, but it is a VILLAGE and was wholly unsuitable for the huge volumes of traffic going through it. It was a deadly dangerous situation and sadly, lives were lost and irreparably changed through accidents.
Anytime I canvassed the area I was inundated with concerns from residents, and it was really their number one concern.
An estimated 17,000 vehicles trudge daily through the village via the N2 and N52, a staggering load for such a small, rural area. Anyone who has spent even a short time in
Slane will know how deeply unsuitable and dangerous this situation has been.
The approved project includes a 3.5km dual carriageway bypass, along with a 258-metre-long bridge over the River Boyne. Crucially, this will reroute heavy traffic away from the village, allowing Slane to regain its safety, tranquillity, and heritage charm.
Crucially, safety and peace will now be restored, not only for motorists, but also for cyclists, pedestrians, visitors and residents who have long had to contend with noise, danger, and disruption.
This is not just a victory for Slane, it’s a huge development for Meath commuters, who according to the most recent census are the most hard-pressed in the country when it comes to journey times. Aontú has been fighting for the Navan Rail Line for years and years, so we are all too familiar with ‘commuter hell’.
This Slane bypass will bring significant reductions in both commuting times and fuel costs for thousands who rely on these key routes every day.
This is a day to celebrate a long-awaited step forward for Slane and for Meath and the next step in the process can’t come fast enough.
